


The Infinite Child

by Gr8PwrGr8Rspnsblty



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Dark Peter Parker, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fix-It, Hurt Peter Parker, Infinity Stones, Irondad, Kinda, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, PTSD, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Needs a Hug, Peter is a Little Shit, Peter is basically the Phoenix, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Precious Peter Parker, Psychological Trauma, Slow Burn, Soul Realm, Soul Stone, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, emotional trama, endgame spoilers, ghost - Freeform, spiderson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-02-27 11:33:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 45,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18738178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gr8PwrGr8Rspnsblty/pseuds/Gr8PwrGr8Rspnsblty
Summary: WARING ENDGAME SPOILERS AHEAD. TREAD LIGHTLY.“The soul of a living man, once conscious of its power can not be quelled.”OrPeter saves Tony in a way nobody sees coming cause I’m not over my endgame depression.





	1. A New Future

Sacrifice. 

A soul for a soul. 

The price to pay for power. Only a very few have completed the ceremony. Only a very few have gotten their hands on pure infinite power.  Most retire, unable to part with their loved ones. It was always quiet until the blood dripped on the concrete ground. The blood stained the stone and everything it touched. 

“ _ I ignored my destiny once, I can not do that again. Even for you. _ ” Greif ran through the titans veins. Despite it all, the madman still felt love. 

“ _ I’m sorry little one. _ ”

Sometimes love isn’t enough. The blood still is spilled despite the pain. It was a large price that was never paid easily. It never was easy. It never got better. It never changed. Always the same love sacrifice to wield the power it held. 

_ “Did you do it?” _

_ “Yes...” _

_ “What did it cost?” _

_ “Everything.” _

Even when the sun rise over the ghostly farming planet, the titan never forgot what he lost. With his life mission over, the titan had nothing left but the retirement alone on the abandoned planet. He mourned long after the snap. The dozens of souls lost in the realm of stones cried begging to return. They haunted the titan at night along with the screams of his loved ones. 

Even the monsters had a soul.

“ _ Whatever it takes. _ ”

The noble sacrifice for the dozens of innocent. The tears of the willing cried and the cries of the broken echoed. Blood dripped once again. Dripped until the ground was painted red. The weight of past sins lifted, the once assassin could rest easy knowing her life was going to a better cause.

Being dragged around again, the stone was used once again. By the snap from a science accident, the dozens of lost souls return safely. At the cost of an arm the universe was balanced. No more screaming souls. No more tears to shed. 

“ _ And I am Iron Man. _ ”

The greatest sacrifice of them all. The guilty sells his soul to insure the safety of his loved ones. No blood spill, no self sacrificial need. Just a man willing to sell his soul for the survival of his loved ones. It was a worthy sacrifice.    
The others laid broken and shattered across the ground. Their power fading by the second. One stands out. A stone glowing the brightest of orange, slowly but surely was fading. It watched the scene laid before it.  The guilty’s loved ones gather, shedding their tears. A boy with the purest of hearts now broken by the sight of his father dying. Though not connected by blood, they were connected by soul. The stone recognized the boy’s bright soul. It was one of the many trapped within the soul stone.

“ _ We won...Mister Stark...We won...You did it sir...You did it...I’m sorry Tony.  _ ”

The boy’s heart mourned, begging for an answer. Having experienced so much loss and afraid to lose another, the child still managed to comfort the dying. The dying desperately wished for the tears of the child to go away. He didn’t want his son to cry for him. He didn’t want the crushing guilt to weigh the boy down. 

_ A worthy father, _

_ A worthy child. _

The stone made a choice. With its power growing weaker, the stone reached out to the boy. Touching his soul. 

The boy, Peter Parker it learned, heard his calls. Slowly turning his head towards the glowing stone. A moment of confusion passes over the kid’s teary eyes before one of understanding. 

“Peter?” 

The stone rose from the ashes, calling out. Peter Parker listened, letting the stone into his soul and heart. The stone fell into the boy’s hand, making it’s choice. The others gasped, watching the child take the soul into his hand. Power flushed through him, the stone sewing itself inside, flowing through his veins. Infinite knowledge pouring into his brain, nearly destroying it in the process.

The stones were no longer alone.

“Step aside,” The ston- _ Peter _ ordered. Everyone backed away, wide eyed. They all watched, fearful for the child’s life as the boy fell onto his knees beside the fallen hero. Stark’s eyes followed weakly, barely able to turn his head. 

Peter, with his eyes glowing a bright orange, placed his hand on the hero’s cheek and let universe handle the rest. 

 

* * *

 

“Oh my god...Tony?” Pepper called out, eyes overflowing with tears.

The hero blinked.

Pain was no longer a feeling he felt. No more agonizing fire coursing through his veins. All he felt was the rocks sitting underneath him poking him uncomfortably. The man found the strength to look down. His arm healed, not even a mark left.    
“Pepper..” Tony sat up, eyes blown wide. His wife cried tears of happiness.  “Peter!” The kid was glowing when he last saw him. His eyes turned to his side to see the kid sitting down next to him, his eyes shut. 

Tony scrambled to his knees, kneeling down by the kid. His heart pounded as he looked over Peter, scanning for any injuries. He feared the worse. He couldn’t lose the kid again. He couldn’t survive that again. 

“Come on kid, wake up!” Everyone watched, their eyes saying it all. He refused to give up, and started to shake the kid hoping it would wake him. To everyone’s disbelief the kid’s eyes flew open, taking a deep inhale. 

Tony was filled with relief to see the kids big puppy brown eyes again. 

“‘R’ th’ wheatcakes d’ne?” Was the first thing that came out of Peter’s mouth in a daze. The hero’s couldn’t help but laugh. 

 

* * *

 

“Surprised you aren’t dead.”

“I’m Iron Man, you can’t kill me,” Tony fired back playfully. Strange kept a straight face but the billionaire could see past the fake facade and see the man was relieved. He always knew the wizard cared.

“How’s Peter?” Tony asked. The wizard seemed to tense at the question, hesitating to spill the truth. 

“Well the Soul Stone took a lot in him. He’ll be fine in a few days with lost of rest and fluids.”

“But?”

“What makes you think there's a but?” Tony raised a brow, unimpressed. Strange sighed. “The stone it did something to Peter.” The playful air turned cold. The once calm aurora Tony gave turned into a worrisome one. 

“At first I didn’t understand how the kid was able to wield the stone barehanded without turning into burnt toast. He should be dead.” Strange was blunt and quick, one thing Tony actually liked about the guy. Even if it hurt like hell. “The stone is what gave him the power to save you and that same power is still coursing through his body.” 

“What the hell does that mean?! Is he okay?”

“From what I gather, I have reason to believe the stone bonded to him. It merged with him, which in turn saved you and the stone from total destruction.” 

“He’s gonna be okay right?” Strange didn’t answer. Which meant one thing typically. The wizard didn’t know. Tony felt sick. This wasn’t supposed to be how things played out. The stones should be gone and Peter should be with his aunt safe and sound. 

“If it makes you feel any better, your ward is awake in the next room asking for you. He doesn’t remember any of it.” Tony nodded, inpatient for their official reunion when neither of them are fighting for their life or dying. “Thank you, for everything Strange.”

“You’re very welcome.”

“I hate you.”

“I know.” Tony left the room holding back a smirk.

 

* * *

 

“Mister Stark!” The boy ran into his arms, smiling with relief to see his mentor.  

“Hey kiddo,” Tony whispered, holding his kid close. 

“We won! The purple grape nut is gone!” Peter exclaimed. Tony nodded, smiling. He was glad to hear his kids voice. God five years without it was far too long. 

“I must’ve past out halfway cause last I remember you snapped your fingers!” Peter pulled back, with a sheepish look on his face.

“I’m glad you’re okay Mister Stark.” 

“Me too short-stack.” Tony exhaled a shaky breath. “Look who’s talking old man!” If anybody told him four years ago that he’d get to hear the kid’s sassy remarks again he probably would’ve slapped them. He laughed, completely taken away by Peter’s voice. 

 

Maybe, just maybe, things will finally be okay.


	2. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter deals with the aftermanth of the snap’s and thinks about all he’s lost.

Peter Parker was placed in a emergency camp to wait for his Aunt.

 

Stark wasn’t there despite wishing he could. The world didn’t need to know the infamous billionaire knew of his existence. Peter Parker hanging around Tony Stark, let alone any of the other Avengers, wasn’t exactly keeping his secret safe. It was a last ditch effort by him to make him seem like a normal child that just got caught in the storm. 

Looking around, the teen looked at the dozens of people sitting around. All of them were victims of the snap awaiting for their family and friends to free them from this nightmare. Children, Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, friends all fallen victims to the deceased mad titans endeavors. Now missing five years of their life, they’re forced to live in this newly strange world. Medics fixed the wounded, but couldn’t fix the broken. 

Peter felt their mourning. The sadness etched deep down, filling the crowd. The cried for their old lives, wishing to return to their old lives. However that wasn’t possible. Not anymore.  There was no returning to what was. The world had changed and moved on without them.

“ _ Mommy! I want my mommy! _ ” There was a sobbing child, crying out for their mother. It left a bitter taste in his mouth. An agent was trying to console the sobbing child, who was an unfortunate victim of the snap. Though nothing could repair the trauma of fading away. 

“ _ Do you have anywhere to go? _ ” It was a teenager this time, she looked numb to everything around them. She was holding two small boys close to her chest. She was one of the many who lost loved ones in the five year time span. With no living family, she was the unlucky winner to being placed in the foster system along with her younger siblings. 

“ _ We can help you find a home and job… _ ” The man shook his head in disbelief, still wearing his work suit. Many people were still trying to process the situation, unable to comprehend the sudden loss of their homes, jobs, and identities in the span of a few seconds. 

Peter wanted to help them all. He’s never felt so helpless. He was supposed to Spider-Man, the hero people can count on to save them. He was suppose to help people but how can he help people when the damage was somewhere not even Iron Man could fix. The Avengers may of fixed the world, but they couldn’t fix the damage done to the dozens of people there.

“ _ Oh my god _ ,  **Peter!** ” The teens head shot up. His Aunt had barged into the camp doors looking like she just came running from out of a meeting. Her hair all frizzy, her glasses lopsided, clothes mismatched like she just threw on whatever was closests. Her eyes scanned the room desprently while Agent’s around tried to hold her back. 

“ _ Get your hands off me! _ ”

“Miss you need to calm down-”

“Peter!” May cried out again from behind the guards, desperate to see her nephew. 

Peter jumped off the cot, his sight growing cloudy. He ran towards the his Aunt, a happy smile on his face. “Aunt May!” He exclaimed, laughing with relief. May’s eyes fell onto the teen, tears spilling out of her eyes. The Agent’s stepped back letting Peter run into his Aunt’s arms. May grabbed tightly on the back of his shirt and hair, squeezing him tightly that the kid thought his bones would pop. 

For a moment, Peter forgot about Titan, Thanos, Spider-Man, and the snap. He just buried himself in his Aunt’s arm, inhaling her flower rose perfume. Tears fell down his own cheek, glad to be reunited with his aunt. His missed her, even if it only felt he was gone for a few hours. He felt so thankful that his Aunt was still here, hugging him. Many others weren’t as lucky as him and would never get another hug from their love ones. 

Peter just basked in the warmth radiating off his Aunt, it filled him and hugged him, telling him it was okay. Once both relatives managed to calm themselves, they pulled back reluctantly.

“I love you so much,” May told him in a broken whispering. 

“I love you too Aunt May.” 

After filling out the paperwork, making him a temporary legal citizen again until he could officially gain back his old oneThey offered supportive help like a new organization that’d was assembled to help victims of the snap insert themselves into normal life again. There was still more legal work to be done since he was technically dead for five years. He left the shelter, forcing himself not to look back. He couldn’t live with the image of the unlucky behind him wishing for a hero to save them from their nightmares. 

However something inside him listened. It heard the cries of the broken, the lost souls calling out for help. He heard and found himself unsure of what to do next. What was next for them? The world had moved on without them. Where did they belong now?

Where did he belong?

 

* * *

 

Peter was sitting on the couch with his aunt, listening to her heartbeat and breathing while they watched the screen in front of them. They were watching A New Hope when May fell asleep on the couch. He watched the screen but his mind was far off in another life looking in. 

 

_ “Mister Stark...I don’t feel so good…” _

_ The planet was quiet. For once, there was silence over the orange planet. Not a single light of hope flickered. All that was left was the ashes of hope and devastation.  _

_ Peter felt the pain of his atoms ripping each other apart, and no matter how hard his body tried to heal nothing could stop the inevitable.  _

_ “You’re alright.” Peter wasn’t alright.  _

_ “I-I don’t know what’s happening...I-I don’t understand-”  _

_ His legs faded, falling into his mentors arms. His eyes wide with fear, clutching onto the man as tightly as he could. His soul was being ripped away. He was dying. His increasing warning buzz felt like a jackhammer in his head. It left the young hero frightened.  _

_ “I don’t want wanna go….” The universe calling grew stronger, trying to rip him away but Peter fought desperately, clinging onto his mentor like a lifeline. “I don’t wanna go..Mister Stark please. I don't wanna go please. I don’t wanna go.” ‘Don’t let me go,’ he wanted to say. His legs now fully gone, Stark let him down on the ground. His mentor’s eyes trying to comfort him by hiding his own emotion. Though Peter could always see through the man’s facades. He could see the man’s dread and fear in his eyes.  _

_ “I’m sorry.” Peter looked up to the blood orange sky, staring at the universe in the sky one last time before the darkness whisked him away. The only thing he could hear was the words of the mad titan echoing,  _

 

**_“Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same and now it’s here. Or shall I say, I am.”_ **

 

Peter blinked. The visual of the planet orange now gone, the quiet in the past. Only the screen was in front of him, no Mister Stark, no ashes. His heart pounded against his rib cage, desperately trying to escape. His eyes watered like a child when frightened, desperately wishing somebody would hold them.

 

Even after death, the mad titan still managed to haunt him. 

 

* * *

 

Peter attended the Miss Romanoff’s funeral. 

 

It was bittersweet. Though a beautiful ceremony, the heartache among the crowd was overwhelming. He still held his head up high in solidarity of the hero. They never had met but he still felt loss. She was the reason he and a million others were here. He owed her everything.

While Captain America suited up to return the stones, Peter stood watching the lake where they sent off Natasha's Black Widow suit belt buckle. His heart mourned for the fallen.

 

“You know, I wish there was a way that I could let her know…that we won. We did it.” It was Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye. He stood at his side, watching the water drift with him. He wasn’t aware of the archer before until now. He felt his heart grow, feeling a warmth fill him.

_ “I know.” _

Before he could stop himself, Peter placed a hand on the Avengers shoulder. “She knows,” He told him, unsure of how knew that. The archer turned to him, confused teary eyes but had a small smile on his lips as if to say  _ thank you _ . The webslinger continued to watch the water drift endlessly along side the hero.

There was a shift in the air. 

Peter felt himself turn around, look around the small cabin toward the time machine. 

One single thought past through his head, ‘ _ Goodbye Captain. _ ’ He redirected his attention on the water and watched the the ripples form, his mind already have forgotten the strange experience.

 

* * *

 

Peter was with his Aunt when he first met her. They were discussing their what happens next in this new chapter of life granted to him when a small girl came trotting up to them.

“You’re the boy in the picture,” She stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Peter glanced at May, confused when his Aunt bent down to the little girls height. “Yeah, Morgan this is Peter!” Who was this little girl? Why was she named after the law firm Morgan and Morgan? Was she somebody else's kid? Maybe one of Barton's kids? 

There was a little gasp, the kid smilied widely up at him as if he was some lost recovered toy she found. “Big brother is back!” SHe wrapped her little arms around his leg, squeezing it tightly. He stumbled backwards, in complete shock. As far as he knew he was an only child and his parents were dead so the possibility of having a sister her age was impossible. 

“Hey sweetheart, looks like you found Peter!” Mister Stark came walking out of seemingly nowhere. “Yeah! I found big brother!” The teen blinked, finally managing to connect the dots. This kid was Stark’s kid. Mister Stark actually had a kid. Part him felt uneasy at the thought. Last time he was actually with the billionaire the man barely managed to take care of himself. Now here he was with a kid who looked at the ripe age of four. 

_ The world’s changed. It won’t ever be the same again. _

The last thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. He shook his head, trying to shake the awful feeling in his head and heart. 

“T-That’s amazing! I always knew you’d make a great dad, Mr. Stark,” The teen said, flashing the best fake smile he could muster up. Stark returned the smile, placing a hand on his back before formally introducing the two. Judging by the girl’s face, she was happy to finally meet her ‘ _ big brother _ ’. 

Peter chose not to question it for now.

 

* * *

 

“You okay kid?” Stark was walking the Peter to May’s car. “Like really okay?”

_ No. I’m missing four years of my life, fought a sociopathic grape twice, lost to said grape, died in my mentors arms, felt all of the pain of having his molecules torn apart and try to repair themselves, killed aliens and got his ass handed to him, played hot potato with the infinity gauntlet, and went to space. He most definitely wasn’t okay. _

Though Peter didn’t answer right away. In his heart he knew the answer to the question but he didn’t want to drop that on his mentors shoulders. The man had a family to worry about now. He didn't need some kid telling them that they weren’t okay. He didn’t need his problems. 

Looking into the older adults eyes he saw Mister Stark had changed. He moved on and it hurt. He was older, wiser. 

Peter could survive being burned, stabbed, thrown, kicked, and shoved but he couldn’t survive being forgotten. He couldn’t look at Mister Stark the same anymore.

”I’m fine.”

The man studied his face, taking in his distant expression. 

“Usually when people say they’re fine, they really not. I would know. I’m the expert at pushing people away,” Tony told him. 

“No, really Mister Stark, I’m fine.” Another lie. God he felt all the criminals out there for lying like he should be put in jail or something. 

The Avenger looked at him, concern etched deeply into his face with hurt in his eyes.

Peter felt guilt build in him, rising up in the sink. He hated to see his mentor hurt but he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t even know his purpose to being here now. Everyone around him were people he didn’t recognize. His life was gone in a blink of an eye. Literally. There was no going back. 

Peter wanted to cry.

To the teens bewilderment, he was suddenly pulled into a warm hug by the elder hero. It was another strange occurance where the Stark had hugged him when before it was always Peter giving the hugs then being told their relationship wasn’t exactly there. It was a strange but not unwelcome experience. Similar to the incident in space, Peter hugged back, this time holding on a bit tighter for support, inhaling the familiar scent of his mentor. 

“You know, you can alway call me when you need anything. I’ll always be there for you every step of the way.” 

Peter wasn’t sure what happened next. He could only describe it as an unexplained phenomenon. He felt something strong inside the hero’s hug. It was a light, glowing brightly despite the dozens of broken cracks inside. It was mending itself together slowly, but still managed to glow brighter than any star. 

The two pulled back, snapping Peter away from the strange light, and bid each other goodnight before the teen hopped in the car. As the Parker’s drove away, his eyes remained on the hero who stood watching them. His gaze didn’t move until he couldn’t see the man’s face anymore. He watched the trees pass and stared up at the night sky. He count the stars, forgetting about his life for a moment.

For the first time since returning, forgotten made him into feather floating in a lake of water, just drifting slowly. It was tranquil and calming. He drifted all the way home, falling into his bed and let himself be free.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all really liked it so I decided to continue it :)  
> Hope all of you enjoy part two of this story!


	3. Old Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter struggles to cope and seeks out an old face for help.

**_“Before creation itself, there were six singularities. Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnants of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots... Infinity Stones.”_ **

_Blue, red, orange, green, yellow, and purple. Power, reality, soul, time, mind, and space. Power unique to each. Each with their own purpose to serve the universe. Each containing power beyond man’s imagination._

_“_ **_These stones, it seems, can only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength. These carriers can use the stone to mow down entire civilizations like wheat in a field. Once, for a moment, a group was able to share the energy amongst themselves, but even they were quickly destroyed by it._ ** _”_

_Dozens of chosen people, very few survive. All erased from the world they lived in. He can see them, wielding the power of their dreams and dying at the hands of it. Their greatest power became their inevitable downfall. Like a sick poem writing itself._

_Peter could see himself at the center of it all. His body standing still, arm extended out showcasing the pure power in his hand. All six stones in his palm. He could hear them. Their thoughts plugged into his mind like a radio center._

_The kid’s eyes were glowing a fiery orange and his face was blank. The image of the stones faded, and in his palms no longer laid the stone but the world. Or worlds. Each universe interwoven in a web of life. All of it connected in ways Peter could feel. Every single droplet of life coursing through him._

_All of it in the palm of his hand with world at his fingertips…._

 

* * *

   
  
Peter stood alone.

 

His eyes off somewhere in the distance, watching the rain pour over the lonely city. Cars speed past him, ignoring the world turn around them. The people walked past him, heads buried in their own business, too distracted to care. Newspapers laid scattered at his feet, their front page taunting him.  
**_Dozens of People Return After the Dusting!_ **

**_Zombies Around the Globe?_ **

**_What Happens Now?_ **

Televisions in the an electronic store played news stations, blaring their reports everywhere he turned.

**_“After five years of being real gone, dozens of people around the world return home…”_ **

**_“Families express their thankfulness towards the Avengers and Iron Man for bringing their loved ones home…”_ **

**_“Survivors speak out…”_ **

**_“Dozens of unemployed after returning and millions placed in the foster system…”_ **

**_“What happens next?”_ **

 

‘ _Cross now._ ’

 

Peter blinked. He looked up at the blinking light telling him to cross. He pushed his foot forward, forcing himself to go forward. He walked, staring at the otherside, his face blank. He couldn’t stand to listen to the world anymore.

Peter stopped by a small flower shop, slowly searching the shop for a specific flower. He ended up having to go to two different shops until he found the right ones. White carnations to be exact. Ben’s favorite flowers. He got him some every time he’d visit and hoped the spirit of his Uncle got them.  

He held the umbrella, gripping it tightly. He found himself at another crosswalk. If he crossed, he would end up back home to his aunt like a coward unable to face his Uncle but if he went straight he’d find himself on a familiar route to the cemetery.

Hesitant, the teen looked down both routes before making a choice. Taking a deep breath, He went forward. The kid treked through the streets, passing dozens of people until he made it to a familiar gate. He stood in front of the gate, staring at the entrance for a moment. He considered running away. How could he stand at his Uncle’s grave after five years? He abandoned the man, there was an excuse for that. Afterall it was his fault his Uncle wasn't home with his aunt. Peter stepped forward, not stopping until he noticed a guard standing the the front. The man didn’t stop him from walking in, barley even hesitating to let him through. He knew the guard, he must’ve recognized him he thought.

Peter walked through the wet grass, passing a few wallowing people. He kept walking until a familiar plaque came into view.

**_In Loving Memory of_ ** ****

**_Benjamin Parker_ ** ****

**_May his soul finally rest in the_** **_mansion of heaven._ **

 

“Hey Uncle Ben,” He greeted in a hushed voice. He stared at the flowers, his eyes growing misty. It had been five years since he visited his Uncle. He still missed the man gravely, always regretting his actions that day. He wished the man was here to comfort him. To tell him what to do now. Slowly the teen lowered the flowers, eyes distant.

“I-I’m sorry f-for not coming for five years,” Peter told his Uncle. “I-I kinda died for bit...” The was no response to his one sided conversation. “I wish you were here Uncle Ben. You’d know what to do. You always did.” The teen inhaled, trying his best to prevent the tears.

“I failed Ben...I failed to watch over May. I-I wasn’t there for here and worst part is I don’t even remember it. Everyone else did though. They grieved and moved on…without me” Peter shook his head, thinking of Morgan for a split second. His jealousy flaring up. Though he found the kid quite fun to be around he could shake the horrible feeling he got around her. She was Stark’s real child. She was everything he wasn’t. She was a reminder of everything he lost. She had the life he could never have. It was stupid to be mad at a child for that, he realized that but couldn’t shake the feeling.

“They forgot about me…and now that I’m back. Now they have to deal with this burden of taking care of me.” He thought of May who had to sleep with him at night for a few days when he returned. She couldn’t let him go and kept him close then would panic when he was away. “N-Nothing is the same Ben...it’s like some weird dream yah know. L-Like I’m gonna wake up any second and things will be the same and head to school to tell Ned about this crazy dream and laugh about it.”

Peter’s eyes fell onto his feet, unable to look at his Uncle’s name any longer. His heart grew heavy as something wet dripped down his cheek, tears.

“I thought coming back would be easy but it feels like I don’t know who I am anymore...like I’ve changed. I can’t explain it. It’s like after Mister Stark snapped his fingers I’m not the same person anymore. Like the old me is still in space waiting to be saved and somebody new took my place.” Peter bit his lip, hating the silence in the air. He wished his Uncle would say something. He wished he would just walk up to him out of nowhere and tell him he was wrong.

“I-I’m sorry to drop this on you. I failed you again Uncle Ben. I didn’t watch over Aunt May for _five years_. I must be the worst nephew in the world. First I take your life and now all this.” Peter bit his lip, feeling a cold breeze hit his face.

“What should I do Uncle Ben? I-I don’t know what to do now. I’m stuck in this stupid future world and I’m all alone. I feel like I should be doing something else. I can’t shake it. Feeling like the universe is pulling at me. Like I’m destined to do something greater...sounds pretty crazy huh?” Nobody who wasn’t dusted themselves could understand what he was feeling. He’s not even sure if the dusted could understand. The wish for the old life they had merely weeks ago. The pull from the universe. The feeling that something bigger was waiting for him. Nobody could fathom losing five years of life. Everyone else still had those five years which was spent forgetting them and moving on. He didn’t get to move on. He still had to deal with the sudden change. He had to find away to cope with losing everything. So did half the universe.

The teen stood there for another five minutes, hoping for a sign. He knew there wasn’t gonna be some miraculous sign but he still waited. It was the only thing he could do that felt right.

“Thank you for listening Ben….I knew I could count on you.” Peter felt a strange warmth on his shoulder. He could feel his Uncle close by, standing next to him like he was actually there. He soaked in the strange feeling, holding it close to his heart.

 

“I love you.”

 

_“I love you.”_

 

* * *

 

May was in the kitchen, nervously sitting on the table on the phone. Ever since Peter’s return she had been hesitant to let the boy out, however she found herself increasingly worrying about the kid not leaving but distancing himself from life. He hardly paid attention about anything current day and only really spoke to her if it had anything to do with the past.

Two nights ago Peter had asked May where her old glasses was. She hadn’t worn those in three years, changing them after the others broke. The kid had shut down for the rest of the day. Refusing to speak or leave his room.

May had grown worried for the boy and called Tony, the only man she’s known to get through to Peter when she couldn’t. The man had already had daily texts asking for updates, wondering why the kid was radio silent and not returning his texts.

“Tony, I don’t know what to do,” She talked into the phone, her voice cracking. “He’s refusing to eat, he barely talks, and won’t come out of his room.” She was desperate for help. She need somebody to help support her through it all. Like what Ben did for her.

“ _I’m sure he’ll be better in no time. The kid is practically an angel. He won’t be this way for long, he just needs time to adjust.”_ May shook her head. As nice as the thought was, she had a gut feeling that that wasn’t the case here. This felt like more than some just teen angst.

“What if he doesn’t? What if he’s never the same?” She couldn’t bare the thought of not having her nephew geek out about Star Wars ever again or talk her ear of with memes she most of the time didn’t understand.

There was silence on the other end. She knew Stark hated the thought too.

May sighed, sniffling. God she hated feeling so emotional. It made her feel so small.

“Maybe I should prepare for the worse. That Peter won’t come back to us. That no amount of therapy can bring him back,” She told herself, sighing.

“ _Don’t say that, he has to come back. This is Peter we’re talking about. He always will find a way back.”_ May could hear the anxiety behind the older man’s voice. She knew how deeply Stark cared for Peter and how much he loved him. The thought of losing Peter again was scary to him.

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe he will come back,” She said carefully, trying to calm the man on the other line down. “But for now we wait I guess.”

Stark exhaled.

“We still on for Friday?” May was grateful for the sudden tangent.

“Yeah, I’m sure Peter will love to have you guys come over. Might help having people he’s familiar with around,” She said, giving a strained smile.

“Great. Morgan’s excited to finally get to spend time with her big brother.”

May let out a quick small laugh. She had became very familiar with the young Stark and knew just how much she admired her nephew. All she had ever wanted to do was meet the boy in the picture. Every time they came over May would tell her stories about Peter from when he was younger, afraid that the Spider-Man stories would be too much. Heck it was too much for her when she first heard them from Peter.

“Tell her Aunt May and Peter send their love. See you guys Friday.”

“I will. Bye May.”

“Bye Tony.”

The line clicked off and May was left sat alone in the far too quiet home.

 

 

* * *

 

“So, I found this group online,” May treaded carefully, watching her nephew pick at his food, “It’s an organization for...survivors like you.” She couldn’t bring herself to to say ‘ _for the dusted_ ’. It would only have reminded her of five years alone. The five years without her little sunshine. “They host group therapy down at that rec center on third avenue. I was thinking maybe we,” _you_ , “could stop by and check the place out.”  
May watched her nephew like a hawk, waiting for a signal to tell her what her nephew was thinking. She noticed the boy tense a little at the mention of therapy but said nothing. She wanted to hear her nephew speak.

There was five minutes of silence before she heard her nephews small voice speak up.

“Sure, got nothing better to do.”

Progress. It was progress. She can work with that. May smiled, brushing the curls off her nephews face.

Maybe this was the beginning of getting back their lives.

 

* * *

****

 

_All of it in the palm of his hand with world at his fingertips…._

 

**_“With great power comes great responsibility.”_ **

 

_Peter was now home. Sitting in his bedroom, eyes puffy with tears, his body significantly smaller than his teenage body. He looked to be the age of seven maybe even eight. His soul projection being the small kid he once was._

_The kids body shook, clutching the edges of his blanket, sobbing.  By his side sat a familiar face, Uncle Ben._

**_“Things may be scary right now, and nothing will make sense. Life is often that way.”_** _The teen clutched onto the older man by his side, gripping Ben’s jacket tightly._ ** _“Someday you’ll learn though that the universe has a plan for each soul it creates out there.”_** _Ben wrapped his arm around the boy’s shoulder, giving him a tight squeeze. His heart radiating with love and affection of the smaller boy telling him it was okay._ ** _“You just haven’t fully discovered yours yet. It’s gonna be a long painful journey but...”_** _The child buried his face into his Uncle chest, savoring the moment the best he could. Afraid of the moment he’d open his eyes the man would be gone._ **_“I know if anybody is destined for greatness, it’s you son. It was always you. You owe the world your gifts. You just have to figure out how to use them. And wherever that takes you, we’ll always be here,”_** _Uncle Ben, Aunt May, Mister Stark-home,_ ** _“You’re my hero Pete and I love you.”_**

_The smaller version of Peter shook his tiny head. Tears falling rapidly. His eyes full of disbelief and self doubt._

**_“This is a dream,”_ ** _The boy whispered. His eyes dripping droplets sadly._ **_“This is all in my head. You’re dead.”_ ** _His voice trembled. His mind unable to believe that this was happening, that his Uncle could love him after everything._

**_“You’ve got it all wrong. You need me Peter. You called to me and I came.”_ ** _The body shook his head._ **_“In time you’ll see that life is more than just what you see. You’ll see things you might not understand or discover something about yourself that’ll change your life. It won’t be easy and choices will be made that’ll change the course of history as you know it. Though if anybody can get through it all it’s Spider-Man.”_ ** _Spider-Man. He was Spider-Man. The hero was a part of him that nobody could take from him. He was brave, courageous, strong-everything Peter Parker was not. Peter was the brains, the witty, and the hero. Together they could do anything, that was what his Uncle was telling him._

**_“It’s time Peter.”_ ** _A bomb went off inside Peter. The tiny fists on his arms grasped tighter onto his uncle. The kid shook his head, tears now pouring out uncontrollably._ **_“Don’t leave me Uncle Ben,”_ ** _The child whispered desperately, his voice cracking._

**_“It’s alright sport. You don’t have to worry Pete. I’ll always be with you. You just gotta call and I’ll be there.”_ **

**_“Please don’t leave me again! Please don’t go! I can’t live without you! I’ll behave-please! A-Aunt May needs you-I need you!”_ **

**_“Shhh…,”_ ** _Ben stared straight into the younger boy’s eyes,_ **_“It’s alright. You’re gonna be okay. You always are.”_ **

**_“I love you Uncle Ben…”_ ** _Peter told the man, realizing he was slipping quickly._

**_“I love you too Pete…”_ ** _The older gentlemen smiled warmly, filling the kid with safety and security._

_Peter held on tighter feeling a familiar tug on his conscious. He tried to hold on tighter to avoid being sucked away but not even his super strength could keep him with his Uncle. His body was ripped away in the never ending darkness, leaving his Uncle Ben in the same room alone._

 

Peter woke with a start, his body covered in sweat and his hair stood up in different places. His eyes wet, and body slumped. The world around him feeling like a strange dream as his brain caught up with reality. Taking deep breaths, in out, in out, in out.

_It was just a dream_ he assured himself. It had to be. His Uncle….

Nothing more than a bad dream he reminded himself harshly. Trying to forget the boy laid back down, staring at the ceiling. Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream….

 

_Right?_

 


	4. The Start of a Hero’s Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are brewing.  
> Peter isn’t handling life well.  
> Tony is just trying to help.  
> Sometimes hero’s have their ups and downs but it seems like Peter’s life are all downs.  
> Haunted by visions, the teen finds himself deteriorating into an emotional mess and is unable to free himself from it.

“Peter, have you had any nightmares recently?”

“No....yes.” The psychiatrist sighed, his eyes falling onto the teen sitting across from him.

Peter cringed under the intense gaze.

“What were they about?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Peter fell silent not wanting to talk about his nightmares and sound like a madman. It was always a sore subject for him. Huang knee that and knew when he needed to back down. “How’ve you been feeling lately Peter?” The Psychiatrist, Doctor Huang, asked suddenly seemingly out of the blue.

Peter shrugged.

“Your Aunt mentioned you attended court? How was that?”

 

“Well…”

 

* * *

 

 

“I hereby by the state of New York grant the request to appeal the Death Certificate placed by the government and return your citizenship. New York also grants a compensation to help financially adjust to the world now. Mister Parker, we welcome you back and we wish you the best of luck on your journey from this point on. Court is dismissed.”

The judge lowered the gavel, banging it. The sound of justice rang through his ears, echoing in his skull. His day in court was over. By the state of New York he was alive again. He should rejoice, cry, exclaim a hallelujah, jump with glee. He doesn't though and instead turns to his lawyer who gave him a small smile. She seemed happy to win.

_So why does he feel so empty?_

Peter turns to his aunt who pulls him into a hug from behind the barrier, crying tears of joy. He didn’t hug back at first. Instead he felt his aunts happy light surrounding him, hugging him. Feeling people's ‘light’ became a typical thing for him. It felt normal at this point, no longer surprising him. Everyone had their own unique signature that felt different to him. His aunt was warm like cookies, full of love and care it sometimes overwhelmed him.

Peter raised his arms and wrapped them around his aunt, giving her a weak squeeze. He plastered on fake enthusiasm when his Aunt pulled back. Suddenly Stark rising from his seat in the courtroom caught his eye. He wasn’t aware the billionaire was here until now. Next to him was his wife, Pepper Potts-or Stark technically. Their daughter wasn’t with them. It was strange to think the man he used to know has a daughter.

“Congrats kid. Welcome to the world of living,” Stark says, pulling him into a hug.

Peter froze at the gesture, feeling a wave of love and safety radiating off the man. Even if it's been six months, physical affection from the man that used to deny his hugs like they were poison still surprised him. Then again this wasn’t the same man he remembered. After coming back the billionaire was all about physical affection. It was like the the dudes drug.

‘ _Like how a father would love his son,_ ’ A voice in the back of his head whispered. The thought lingered in his head, etching the words in his heart. He dropped the fakeness and in the moment let a real smile crossed his face.

Peter stayed in the hug a bit longer, basking in warmth his mentor gave him.

From the corner of his eye he saw his lawyer exit the courtroom. He excused himself from the celebration and followed the woman, calling her. He stopped her from getting in the elevator, pulling her aside.

“M-Miss Benson?”

“Oh? Peter! I thought you and your family already left with Stark?” The redhead turned in surprise. Peter glanced at Stark and May, hesitating to speak. He felt his lawyers soft hand on his shoulder snapping him back.

“I just thought I should thank you...for everything,” Peter told the older woman, a sheepish expression. “It alright. I just hope you’ll find life to go much more smoothly after today.” The kid scoffed at the idea. Life going smooth was like him not being a death magnet. Impossible. “Smooth isn’t exactly how Parker lifes go,” He joked lamley.

His lawyer stifled a giggle, her green eyes meeting his own brown ones. “Well, I guess we just have to hope for the best.” Peter smiled, feeling his own lips betray him. He could feel his families waiting gaze on him, watching the two interact.

“Go enjoy this with your family Peter. You deserve it,” Miss Benson told him. ‘ _Highly doubt it,_ ’ He wanted to say but didn’t. Instead he said, “I guess you’re right...I hope we never meet again Miss Benson and I mean it that in the nicest way possible.”

“Bye Peter.”

The teen gave the lawyer a quick hug, letting her feel his light from inside her own darkness. He hoped he could provide her with some light while she fought whatever battle she was in. They had grown to like each other. Peter pulled back, giving one last Parker smile, before walking away. For once he let his body soak in the light around him and let him feel the happiness shining around him.

 

* * *

 

 

“Now that your death certificate is annulled, what will you do now?” Huang asked curiously.

“I don’t need a piece of paper to tell me that I’m alive,” Peter replied, his tone off. His psychiatrist nodded, agreeing with with him.

“Of course you don’t. Only you can say whether you're alive or not.”

Peter didn’t say anything after that. He was at loss for words, unsure of what to say to that.

“Did you mention this in group therapy?”

“I stopped going to group.” Peter’s voice was short and clipped. Raw emotion beginning to stir in the pot at the mention of group.

 

“How come?”

 

* * *

 

 

“At first, I couldn’t believe it. One minute there was people screaming, and the next I’m being told I’ve been dead for five years...It was unreal. Like this was all some bad dream. I couldn’t process it, even now.”

Laura fiddled with her cup, her fingers prying on the styrofoam edges, her gaze away from the group around her. She pushed her stray hair back instinctively, behind her ears, unable to stay still, needing her body to move.

“It’s alright Laura, it’s normal for people who’ve gone through a traumatic situation like yourself to have difficulty transitioning into the real world. It’s perfectly normal. It’ll take time and hard work,” Miss Houston told the anxious woman, using a calm tone. Laura attacked her nails, biting them and nodding excessively. They group thanked the troubled woman for sharing as usual before their eyes fell onto the group leader, awaiting guidance.

“Mister Parker, are you feeling willingly to share today?”

Eyes fell onto Peter who’s sat on his chair, feet pulled up, arms wrapped around them, one hand holding his own cup, his eyes on his nails, picking at them as if there was something wrong with them. As expected, the teen shook his head refusing to open up to the group and show his colors.

“You know, part of the healing process is talking to someone about your emotions.”  

Peter shifted under the millions of eyes on him, feeling uncomfortable with the subject. He wished for the leader to move on and pick another troubled soul to share their colors. However today seemed to be different.

“I can’t make you open up, but I can highly encourage it.” Peter ignored the urge to bite his nails, not wanting to ruin them again like the last time he did it. Instead he closed both his hands around his own water cup, moving his gaze upwards to the group.

“I-I’m fine,” He lied, nervous of the attention.

“Many people say there fine, most of those people are lying. Are you lying Mister Parker?” Feeling like a child getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar, he sunk into his seat. Hiding away from the world took a real hit on his social skills.

“We can’t help if you aren’t completely truthful,” Miss Houston added.

Peter sighed, his tense shoulders dropping in defeat. Though he was against opening the full book he decided to crank it open a smidge to satisfy the leader so she could move on and leave him alone.

“I-I went to court t-to get my death certificate annulled and won.”

The group congratulated him. It wasn’t until the room quiet down did Miss Houston spoke again. “You don’t sound too happy about it,” Houston prodded, testing the teen trying to push him forward. “Are you happy?”

Peter bit his cheek, his eyes falling away, guilt in eyes. Happiness wasn’t an emotion he’d used to describe how he felt. More like numb to the whole thing. He was shameful of how he felt. He was selfish and ungrateful. At least he was lucky enough to have a support system, a loving Aunt, and a roof over his head. Many didn’t have his luck. Lots of kids lost family in the five years of being dusted and were placed in the flawed foster system to live the rest of their childhood in.

“It’s okay if you aren't,” Miss Houston ressured. “Nobody will judge you if you aren’t.”

Peter sighed.

“I-I don’t know why I’m not happy. It’s selfish, I know.”

“It’s not selfish, it’s human.” Peter looked up towards the group, his eyes flying across the dozens of the faces looking for a cue to tell him that they hated him. It never came. Instead they were all open, listening attentively, eyes full of support.

“I-I just thought if I tried harder I would be happy and get over it,” Peter confessed, “but it’s like I can’t shake the fact that everything has changed. It’s like two months ago I was living my life and the next I’m thrown into this new world where I’m supposed to be dead. People moved on, had families, grew older and they moved on. I-I thought that that was what I would want when I died, for p-people to move on, but seeing it in real life hurt.” He knew his eyes were tearing up, but continued to speak, ignoring his emotions. His box leaked, creating holes and dripping.

“I tried to focus on the good but it’s hard to do that when most of your life is gone.”

Miss Houston watched him with pity in her eyes, lifting her leg on top of thigh and knitting her hands together watching a single droplet of sadness run down the teens face.

“H-how can you love anything now when you lost everything? Huh? Tell me Miss Houston, if you could go back and change things of happening would you hesitate? Or would you rather let us be dead while you get to live out your life?”

The woman didn’t reply, but it was clear what her answer was.

Peter knew he wasn’t being fair, he knew he was being selfish but it didn’t hurt him any less. He couldn’t understand why he was so emotional now oppose to before the world went to hell. Before he could keep a lid on it, now his lid was on it’s last leg with tennis ball sized holes in it and duct tape barely keeping it together. His anger had boiled and festered inside him, growing bitter in the two months of life. At night haunted by visions, last night being one that hit far too close to home. Usually he wrote them off as nothing but strange dreams. Nothing more but a fluke in his brain. However in his gut he knew they were more than that. Whether they be visions of the past, he didn’t know. Until last night.

_“I can’t roll the dice again.”_

_“No I can’t help everybody.”_

_“Something tells me I should put it in a locked box and drop it at the bottom of the lake, and go to bed.”_

Peter sucked in his pain, wiping away his teary eyes. He added more duct tape to hid lid and shoved it back into the dirty closet he locked in before and hoped it’d stayed there. It wasn’t the best coping skill but it was all he got now.

The cup in his hands broke, crushed underneath his death tight grip, and so was his heart. He looked up, not even acknowledging the cup or the surprised faces, and just looked the therapist in the eyes with his misty ones.

“May I please be excuse for a moment to use the restroom?” Peter asked, his voice quiet and broken, really needing the restroom. The kid just needed to take a step back.

 

Miss Houston didn’t stop the upset teen from leaving the session.

 

* * *

 

 

“That must’ve been hard opening up like that,” Huang acknowledged.

“I-I overreacted. I shouldn’t have burst out like that. It wasn’t fair to M-Miss Houston or the group,” Peter lamented, his eyes growing sad like a puppy dog. If he was a dog his ears would’ve been down and his tail in between his legs.

“You were upset. It’s okay to lash out sometimes. We can’t always keep things bottled up inside.”   _But I should be able to_ Peter thought.

“It sounds like you felt betrayed and hurt by what happened to you. That the whole around you turned it’s back on you.” If only he knew.

“But nobody did anything wrong. I’m just being a baby,” Peter countered.

“Of course they did!” Peter’s head shot up, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. “The people you love betrayed you. They forgot about you and moved on. They left you behind when they promised you they’d always wait for you. Your angry that they were happy because you felt like they were happy that you were gone.”

Peter felt exposed, like he was stripped of all his clothing and armor then laid in front of the world naked. Hearing somebody talk about what he felt left a bitter taste in his mouth as guilt began to turn his stomach.

“It isn’t true Peter. Your Aunt loves you very much, and by the sound of it Stark does too.”

“I-I visited him yah know?”

“Really?” Huang was surprised. “I thought you were avoiding him?” Peter shrugged, acting as if he didn’t know what he was talking about.

 

“I couldn’t avoid him for long…”

 

* * *

 

 

“Maybe we should try combination E again. It’s possible I messed up something in process,” Peter stated, staring at the glass beaker.

“Highly doubt it kiddo. Your too intune with your work to make one.”

Peter didn’t say anything at his mentors words, setting the beaker down on the table. He crumbled up the paper labeled ‘ _Test E_ ’ and tossing it into the trash. He ignored his bubbling frustration and forced himself to act calm.

“What are you trying to do anyways?” Stark asked, looking up from his own work for a split second to look up at the teenanger, trying to start a conversation.

“I’m trying to recreate my web formula since I lost my old notes. Who knew leaving your backpack webbed in an alleyway for five years ment never seeing said backpack again.” Peter picked up the next formula he wrote, scanning it over, when he felt something cloud his mentors usually open loving safe soul. He could feel the worry consume his mentor and fear in a single breath.

“Is Spidey getting ready to make a comeback?”

The teen lowered his paper, turning to face his mentor. His expression unreadable as he said, “It doesn't matter.” His eyes were distant.

“It's okay if he doesn’t. The world will be fine if you-”

“If I what? Step down?” He challenged.

¨If that's what you want.¨ He could hear the fatherly tone behind his words. It left him wondering what was their relationship?  Or were they still just mentor and mentee? Were they father and son like so many believe them to be? If they were the second one, then when did that happen? When did they reach that level? He was just a kid from Queens with a sad orphan story. Was it the guilt he felt talking? Either way it left him on ice, unsure of what to think.

¨Have you made an appointment to see Strange yet?¨

The mention of the sorcerers name turned his blood to ice. His heart skipped a beat as he thought about the older man. He hadn’t seen him since the funeral. The sorcor didn’t even apologize to him for giving the time stone away. Though Peter guess he couldn’t really blame him, it was to save the world.

At the price of half of their lives.

No biggie.

¨No. I haven’t had the time.¨ His tone cold.

¨You know everyone who's been dusted on the team has to see him. It's mandatory.¨ Peter avoided his mentors concerned gaze, finding it difficult to look him the eye. He couldn't look anybody in the eye without feeling like he needed to break down.

He couldn't look the stranger in the eye so he avoided it.

¨So you Aunt tells me you start school next week. Same school?”

“Yeah. I’m gonna be placed in the same grade and everything,” He mumbled, thankful for the change of conversation. “You know the new law says you don’t have to stay in the same grade. You could just go straight MIT.” Peter shook his head. Just because he was allowed to didn’t mean he should.

“As much as I love that idea, I’d rather go to college when I’m actually seventeen.” The teen scribbled something on his notes, only half heartedly listening at this point.

“Technically you're twenty one.” Peter grew tense, his shoulders rising. He gripped the pencil tightly, breaking it in a second. He wasn’t twenty two, he was barely seventeen. He didn’t care about the time gap, in his mind he was still eighteen. The mechanic seemed to realize his tension, and stepped back.

 

Peter was thankful for that.

 

* * *

 

 

“It was like being with a stranger. He had Mister Stark’s face but acted like a parent...I mean I guess he would because he is a father. I-I just found it weird I guess. That the man who wouldn’t hug me two months ago was the same man who’d hug me any chance he’d get,” Peter unpacked.

Huang nodded, scribbling down notes on his notepad quickly.

“So your solution is to ignore him?” It sounded harsher than it did in his head. The man technically did nothing wrong. He saved Peter. That should’ve made him love Mister Stark more than he already did.

 _‘But it’s not your Mister Stark,’_ The nagging voice told him.

 

“It’s the only choice I’ve got.” Peter didn’t look his psychiatrist in they eyes when he said that. Deep down he knew that it was wrong, but then again he was never really good with dealing with his problems.

 

* * *

 

 

Peter laid awake that night, laying on his bed alone. His mind refused to sleep, and his body felt restless.

Peter knew what this meant. It’s been nearly two weeks for him without being Spider-Man. Weeks since he’s been in the suit. Technically five years depending on who you ask. Either way his body craved the adrenaline, and his mind needed the reassurance that New York was safe.

Though part of him knew that he was running away from his problems. His sleep was haunted by visions and his life was haunted by his mind. He just chose to ignore that side now.

**“With great power, comes great responsibility.”**

With his Uncle’s wise words ringing through his head, the teen rolled out of bed, unable to stay still any longer, and walked towards his closet. He threw open the closet doors, shoved his clothes aside revealing his Spidey suit in the back laying out waiting for him. It laid in perfect view in front of him.

Lucky for him dying in his original suit meant nothing could stop him now.

 

_“Please, just take a break. I know it’s your responsibility but just wait,” His Aunt told him earlier in the day when the subject of his night time activities came up. Peter picked at his plate of pasta, using the fork to push the food around. “Don’t worry, I won’t be Spider-Man…” Peter looked straight into his Aunt’s eyes and told her what she need to hear. She didn’t look fully convince and was about to say something when her phone went off. She hesitated, sneaking a quick glance at her nephew._

_Peter nodded and watched her take his approval, excusing herself to take the call._

 

The teen needed space to think and laying in bed wasn’t helping him. He need to leave. _He needed his old life back_. Though he’d never say it aloud, he was sick of this fake life he was living.

Spider-Man was the one thing that didn't change. It was the only thing he knew how to do now that he was in this futuristic world.

The world had moved on, leaving the friendly neighborhood web slinger who once protected the streets of New York forgotten in the dust.

His Aunt had begged him to wait a while but Peter couldn’t, not right now, not ever. The only thing protecting the little guy was Spider-Man. That never changed, not even in death. His responsibilities were still there, coursing through him. He couldn’t play house anymore when people are out there needing help. For five years the little guys like him didn’t have him watching their back. He wasn’t about to let them go any longer without his protection. They needed somebody close to the ground. Especially now that the world is in chaos.

Peter needed this. He needed to be Spider-Man to get through this. He’d admit it, part of him wanted a taste of his old life and this was the last thing he had of that life that didn’t change or grow up. Mister Stark had a family, his friends were older, and his life was technically over in the eyes of the government. Spider-Man didn’t have a family, he didn’t get older, he never ended.

All he that was left in his boring life was Spider-Man.

Peter didn’t think twice before snatching the suit out of closet.  

 

“ _Hello Peter._ ”

  


* * *

 

 

“What’s the reading Hill?”

 

“Sir, all around the world were getting high energy readings. We picked them up after the world suffered from a nationwide blackout. Press are all over it. Claiming that this unexplainable phenomenon is the work of a top secret government. President wants us to handle it with complete discretion,” Hill informed as she pulled up the readings on her tablet showing the older male. With one hand on the helicopter hand bar and the other grabbing the tablet, Fury examined the image. It was an above shot, showing the whole world in one image. Around different parts of the world at random, different colors showing the severity of the energy live.

“Any idea on what caused it or what it is?”

“Not sure yet, but what we do know is that the readings given off are similar to Infinity Stone energy. However the stones were destroyed when Stark snapped his fingers so they couldn’t be the reason behind it. This is something else though it can’t be coincidence that this happens so close after the dusting.”

“Is that what we’re calling it? The dusting?” Fury raised a brow. “Blame the press sir.” Hill replied with a smug smirk on her lips.

The helicopter circled around a hotspot, giving both Shield members a moment to look below. “This place has one of the highest rising energy signals. We sealed off all access to the park until we can figure out what is happening.”

“Where are we?” Fury asked, getting a strange feeling from the place. The man had a bad feeling about this.

“London sir.”

Suddenly from below the wind picked up, carrying fallen leaves and trash into the air. The helicopter rocked a little bit at the increase, and the pad began blare loudly warning the two.

“The energy is spiraling sir! I don’t know what’s happening!” Hill exclaimed.

Fury watched with his one eye opened wide. It was like time stopped for a second, everything stood in midair for what seemed like forever.

“What the fu..”

The world suddenly pressed play, the wind taking a sharp turn towards the fountain below as a small tear formed in their reality. It grew wider, and its suction growing stronger.

“Oh shit!” The helicopter began to pull towards it, as did everything around it.  Hill grabbed onto her seat, gripping tightly as she exclaimed, “Prepare for impact!” They spun out of the air towards the ground, once close Fury and Hil tore their seatbelt off and jumped onto the ground safely. The landed on the ground with a thud right as the wind stopped. There was a few seconds of calm before the wind started again, only this time going the opposite direction.

They were blown away in the wind carrying them farther away until Hill managed to grab onto a stray tree and grab her bosses arm. Her grip iron tight as the wind fought against them until suddenly it all stopped. They flopped onto the ground, near each other as a bright white light blinded everyone. As the light faded, Agent Hill lifted herself up and glanced at her boss.

“Sir? Are you alright?” Hill asked

“I’m fine, but my pants are ruined and I’m not so sure the universe is gonna pay me back,” Fury replied. The Agent helped her boss up from the ground and dusted herself off. She was about to call the situation they had in when she noticed something laying by the fountain where the whole thing started. It looks like a man laying limp there unconscious.

 

“Sir, I think we need medic.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A long chapter + finally the start of a plot. Next chapter things will actually begin to spice up and finally we’ll get to see how much the stones will really affected Peter. 
> 
> Also I’m sorry for the Tony and Peter father son relationship. Just a FYI things are gonna get a lot worse before they get better. 
> 
> Anyways leave a comment or kudos and thanks for ready :)
> 
> (Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes. This was a long chapter and barley added in a few more scenes so the grammar might not be all correct)


	5. The Darkness Underneath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night as Spider-Man takes an unexpected turn leaving our hero with more questions than answers.

“Hey Karen,” Peter greeted in a hushed tone. 

  
  


“ _ I’ve been ordered to inform Mister Stark of when you put on the suit again _ ,” The AI informed him, her tone suggesting she was waiting for the teen to give her an excuse not to.. 

“Don’t Karen. I don’t want Mister Stark to know I’m out. I just need some time to myself. I promise to be careful.”  Peter didn’t need any more future stuff. He didn’t want the man he barely knew now to come in and confuse him more. He just need some time to himself to think. He needed his old life. That will make things better.

“ _ As you wish. _ ”

The hero couldn’t help but smile. He could always counted on Karen to understand. 

The teen took one last glance at the door, hesitating. He knew his Aunt wanted him to stay low and leaving would mean breaking his promise. It felt like old times when he used to sneak out. 

 

“I’m sorry Aunt May,” He whispered before opening his window and climbing out. 

 

* * *

 

Swing through the streets was exhilarating. The wind rushing through him, the city noise, the feeling of flying, the freedom. The familiar feelings left his body buzzing with excitement. He forgot about the snap, Thanos, space, the stones, dying, and life. It felt like those five years never happened and everything was as it should. It was like he never left. He felt alive. It was breathtaking. 

Peter tried doing some riskier jumps and flips that past him never done before for the hell of it. He realized life was short. His life meant nothing compared to the whole universe. At any moment the universe can decide it’s done with him and take everything from him again. He wasn’t gonna waste his life anymore. He was gonna live it. Be a kid while he still was. Continue to stay on the ground. 

The sound of gunshots echoed through the city, snatching his attention away from his thoughts. 

Peter turned his direction towards the sound, landing on a building by a drug store two blocks down. He peaked down to see what was going on. 

Two masked shooters were inside the drug store holding the cashier at gunpoint while they loaded the cash into a bag. He could hear them shouting at the cashier to stay down, who looked like they barley were of age. 

“Karen, how many people are in the building?”

“ _ I’m picking up two intruders, both armed, and three hostages. One adult and two underaged based on the size. _ ” Peter looked around but couldn’t see where the other two were. Without them in sight just barging in would be dangerous. 

“Okay Karen talk plans to me.”

“ _ I suggest using the back entrance and using your wall crawling abilities to ensure that you have the element of surprise. _ ” Peter nodded. He took a deep breath, releasing all his locked up nerves before jumping. 

 

* * *

 

“SHUT UP BITCH BEFORE I BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT!” The masked intruder pressed the gun closer to the panicking cashier who couldn’t control the sounds escaping her mouth.

A sob escaped the girls mouth before she covered her mouth, trying the best to keep herself quiet. The gunman turned to his partner who was occupied gathering their reward and shouted, “Hurry up!” 

“I got it!” The money man grabbed his loaded duffel bag. The other two hostages whimpered as the man turned to face them. Though masked, the people inside could tell the men were smiling. 

Both men moved their fingers towards the trigger, ready to clean up their work, when suddenly both guns went flying out of each of their hands. The lights flickered off for a moment as the men looked around in shock. The could see flashes of red and blue in the corner of their eyes, but they were unarmed and felt exposed like two calves exposed to the hunters in the wild.

“What the hell?!”

_ Pow! _

“Did you just hit me?!”

“No!”

_ Bam! _

“Ow! I told you I didn’t hit you!” The men felt all of the air leave their body when the lights flickered on revealing Spider-Man standing over the counter in his signature pose with his hand held out in front of him with the other in the back while bent down. The hero's lenses narrowed onto the two men.

“Holy shit!” One of the men exclaimed.

“Woah! Watch the language buddy!” Spider-Man exclaimed in his natural joking manner. “B-But you’re supposed to be dead!” The money man stuttered. The hero couldn’t help but roll his eyes, feeling slightly bitter at the mention of his untimely death. 

“I’m a bad bitch, you can’t kill me!” The men tried to run off, leaving behind the hostages to run free. Once directing the hostages where to go, Spider-Man jumped off the counter whipping out his wrist, his webs shooting out to block the men's path. They turned to face the hero, realizing the only way out was through. They clench their fists ready to put up a fight. 

“Just when I thought this was gonna be easy,” Peter muttered under his breath. 

The men charged, throwing their fists and legs. At first he managed to dodge the hits, moving as agile as a cat. He managed to kick one of the men away, throwing him into the freezers knocking him unconscious, before getting hit with a duffel full of money. It surprisingly hurt alot.

“God I’ve never felt so poor before,” The hero muttered before suddenly getting a kick in the chest. The hero managed to catch himself before colliding with one of the aisles. “Not so tough are you?” The man taunted, his fist colliding with the masked vigilantes face, his confidence rising. Spider-Man fell backwards. 

_ Well that definitely wasn’t how this was supposed to go _ .

“I forgot how weak you were! Then again so did most of New York!” It was a threat meant to get under his skin and it worked. He felt his blood beginning to simmer. Water begging to bubble. 

“Should’ve stayed dead if you asked me!” Another blow. “World was just perfect without you!” Peter clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. Under the mask, nobody could see the rising anger and frustration. The words hitting far too close to home.  

The lights flickered. The man paused for a second but didn’t stop kicking him down. He ignored it, feeling far too cocky to give a damn. Not heeding the warning the flashing lights and now trembling shelves.

“Looks like I’ve got to do god's work and get rid of his mistakes!” Spider-Man snapped. He managed to grab the man’s fist mid throw stopping it from colliding with his face. The man gasped as the the hero looked at him with an angered look. The grip on the fist tightened, crushing the bones slowly. He gasped as a strange burning feeling ran up his arm.

Spider-Man stood up, his lenses glowing a strange purple now.

**_“The stone reacts to anything organic. The bigger the target, the bigger the power surge.”_ **

Unlike the glowing orange when in space, this was dark darker and much more sinister. It’s darkness cracked revealing small strands of bright lavender underneath.  

**_“Everything it touches, it destroys.”_ **

“AAHH!” The man cried as bright purple light shot through his arms looking like little veins, glowing. It felt like his whole body was being crushed in a second, his insides burning. 

**_“I will not be your slave anymore!”_ **

The man’s skin began to crack like some sort of old marble statue.

The hero doesn't flinch, just tilts his head slightly: the way a predator would assess prey, ready to deliver the final blow and sink its teeth in. A dangerous look that would make anybody piss themselves.

**_“Take my hand!”_ **

Peter’s mind was yanked out of the smoke, his mind pulled himself out from underneath like a fish line reeling in the catch of the day.

The sound of screaming caught his attention, jumpstarting his brain again. The vigilante stumbled backwards releasing the man from his deathly grip. 

“What-” Peter let go, watching the man before him crumple onto the ground, the cracks in his skin faded along with the purple around him as if nothing happened. He reached down to help, frightened and dazed, but the man backed away from his touch clearly frightened of him. “Get away from me you f-freak!” 

“I-” Spider-Man was speechless, unsure of what had just happened to him. His head pulsed, temples throbbing, brain exhausted from the strain. The sound of sirens echoed, cutting off his panic momintraily. Both of the intruders were subdued, neither looked like they were gonna run. 

_ What just happened?  _

The hero bounced, unable to breath in that little drug store anymore. He swung away feeling his heart run away from him. He suddenly needed to puke. 

“ _ Your heart rate has increased intensely and you seem to be struggling to breath. If you do not calm yourself I will have to inform Mister Stark, _ ” Karen’s voice popped up. 

Peter shook his head. Mister Stark couldn’t know what happened today. He would be so angry. He’d might actually kill him again.

The teen stumbled on the nearest roof, tripping over his feet when he landed, rolling until his back hit the edge. 

He laid there, trying his best to calm himself.

_ “AAHH!” The man cried as bright purple shot through his arm looking like little veins, glowing. _

_ “Get away from me you f-freak!”  _

Peter felt his brain pound against his skull, making it impossible for him to understand his surroundings. He felt hot tears threaten to pool down his cheeks. Somebody could’ve died and it would’ve been his fault. He hurt that man. How could he forgive himself for that? What if he hurts Mister Stark or his family? The Avengers? Or worse, his Aunt.

 

_ Why is this happening to me? _

 

_ “Calling Mister S-” _

 

Peter yanked off his mask, disconnecting Karen, unable to listen to her voice. He just laid of the roof, staring at the sky as his vision went blurry. He felt like he was dying. Like any moment he was gonna drop dead and feel the sweet release. It never ended. He was suffering and it never ended. Like a man being stabbed continuously but is cursed with immortality. All he could feel was the pain his body was forced to endure. 

_ He wasn’t ready.  _ That was painfully obvious. After all that happened he sees that now. He almost killed a man.

_ Spider-Man almost killed man _ .

_ Oh god he’s gonna be sick. _

Peter wanted to cry. He was afraid and felt utterly alone. He knew his Aunt was on his side but this was beyond just normal teen angst or Spider-Man. 

This was dangerous. 

He was dangerous. 

_ He doesn’t even know what he was anymore _ . 

Peter curled up into a ball, shaking. He thought of his life before. All the fun he had hanging out with his friends. He tried to think of that and forgot of what happened. 

He thought of MJ. Her curly hair, dark coco eyes, tomboy clothing, and her neutral attitude. She was funny yet quiet. She hardly would speak and when she did it would always be something that’d surprise everyone. Though she always had her head buried in a book and never socialized unless it was to state the obvious. She always smelled like freshly baked cinnamon rolls. It was an odd scent but Peter found it appealing. 

_ She’s gone. _

Peter shook his head, thinking of Ned next. His Star Wars shirts, upbeat attitude, and large brain. They’ve been friends since the start of seventh grade. He was one of his best friends. They connected on all things nerdy like Star Wars and science. It was basically what made them friends in the first place. He was the only one in school who knew his secret yet was the first person to accept it at a first glance without changing his opinion on him.

Peter felt calmer now. He no longer was struggling to breath. The memory of his friends managed to bring him back from his downhill cycle. No longer feeling the need to jump of his skin, the teen released a long tired breath. His pain turning him numb. He uncurled from the tight ball he was in. 

He exhaled and looked to the sky.

 

Peter found very little comfort in the stars above him.

 


	6. Stolen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens next...
> 
> [READ NOTES FOR WARNINGS]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARING 
> 
> Durning the second to last scene right after Strange and Tony’s confrontation there is triggering content. To people sensitive to sexual assault and rape to a minor just skip to the next scene. You have been warned.

“This is a real big mess.”

 

¨You know he is only going to grow more dangerous as his power grows,¨ Wong stated, handing over the book the wizard was searching for. Strange paused, looking at the book then his friend before grabbing it.

¨He's already powerful enough to wipe out a whole species and the kid doesn't even know it.¨ Strange flipped through the pages of the book, skimming through it. He stopped on one of the pages, reading through it.

¨I should never have let him go,¨ The hero muttered under his breath, heavy regret in his voice.

¨You couldn't just keep an enhanced boy in the sanctum against his will,¨ Wong pointed out. ¨He's not a boy Wong. He's a weapon.¨ Strange shook his head cursing. He knew it was foolish to depend on the book to have the answers he needed.

¨We aren't even sure he caused the tears.¨

¨No, but I already took a risk letting him go. I'm not gonna take any chances again.¨ Strange lowered the book, resisting the urge to throw it. No matter how frustrated, he wasn't stupid enough to destroy one of Wong´s books. He didn't need the man throwing him through a portal over a large cliff or something. He actually enjoyed life unlike most self sacrificial heroes he knows.  

¨I know what you´re thinking. Do you really think Stark is gonna hand over his ward just because you ask nicely?¨

¨Who said anything about asking?¨ Strange called to his cape, letting it wrap itself around him. ¨You're insuffrable.¨

¨Thank you.¨ Strange smirked, turning around, his cape flapping with the wind. ¨Even if he does reveal where the boy is, how do you plan on stopping him?¨ Wong questioned. There was a pause. The hero didn't reply for a good five minutes. Wong had begun to think that the man already left the building by the time he heard Strange’s voice again.

¨With whatever means are necessary.¨

¨Could you be any more cheesy?¨

¨Shut up.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Where’s the boy?”

 

“You know, a simple hello wouldn’t have killed you,” Tony stated, his eyes glued onto the wizard in front of him, who had just chosen to walk through a portal into his home. The man hadn’t changed a bit in the last two months. He was the same man with a stick up his butt.

“I’m not in the mood for games Stark. Where’s the boy?” Strange straightened his back, watching the billionaire intensely.

“Wouldn’t you like to know _Alex Russo_?” Strange frowned, confused, at the smugness in the billionaire's voice. “You know, from that kids show from the 2000’s on the Disney channel? Peter showed it to me-you know what nevermind! Tell me what you want with the kid!”

“He’s dangerous. His power growing stronger. I made a mistake letting _you_ handle him and the fact he isn’t here proves my point.”

“First off, the kid isn’t glued to me 24/7. Second, what do you mean?” Tony asked, suddenly feeling concerned for the kid he grew to love as a son.

_Why would Strange be looking for the kid?_

The mechanic had little to no contact with the kid since his last visit. The kid had shut him out, pushed him away and refused to even glance his way. He had, though he didn’t like it, stayed away. It was clear his presence made the kid uncomfortable and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt the kid by forcing himself back into his life. He let the kid step away from him. Though judging by the upset wizard in his house that that probably wasn’t the best plan.

“I underestimated him,” Strange states blankly, “He’s no longer just a nuisance, he’s becoming one of the universe's biggest threat.” Tony scoffed at the idea. Peter wouldn’t hurt a fly. He knows this kid like the back of his hand. He wouldn’t even dare raise his voice let alone destroy the universe. Now Thanos was a threat. Peter was a puppy.

“Hold on. Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun a little? The kid wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone destroy the universe or whatever you think he’ll do! Or at least not on purpose.”

“Exactly. He may not mean to, but what if he does something on ‘ _accident’_? The chance of him losing control is too high. He’s unstable. What do you think will happen when he gets upset and decides he can save the world by destroying it? The innocent blood would be on both our hands.”

“The kid isn’t Thanos.”

“He isn’t,” Strange acknowledges, separating Thanos and Peter from his mind, “but he’s still human and like any human, he has a dark side. You probably just haven’t seen it.”

“You’re wrong. Pete’s the lightest shade of vanilla cream I’ve ever seen,” Tony shot back. Who was Strange to judge the kid? He barely knew him! The billionaire had the urge to suit up and go a few rounds with mister David Copperfield over there.

“Oh really? Then tell me why that as soon as he goes missing from his aunt's home, there was a disruption in the universe?”

Tony’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What are you talking about? He’s not missing, he’s at home,” He told the wizard.

“Oh great, you don’t even know! Never trust a Stark,” Strange muttered, feeling strained from the stress.

“What’s going on Strange?”

The wizard began to count down from five.

Tony was gonna say something like for him to tell him but by the time he thought of what to say Strange had lowered his last finger. On cue his wife came charging downstairs in distress. The look on her face was enough for the billionaire to realize something was very wrong.

“It’s Peter,” That was all what Pepper said, “he’s gone.”

It was all he needed to hear for his heart drop onto the floor.

 

* * *

 

 

“I-I woke up and he wasn’t in bed,” May sobbed, “I-I c-check the closet and all his stuff was gone!”

Tony held the sobbing woman, trying his best to comfort her while attempting to hold back his own emotion.

Neither of them paid any attention to Strange who waited impatiently on the side.

Both hero’s had rushed down to the Parker residents when he heard. Peter had went missing. What had happened was unclear to him, but all he knew was the kid was gone again. Just like what Strange said. Stupid wizard. He wasn’t sure if he was alive or hurt somewhere. His Aunt was beyond hysterical when he arrived on the verge of calling the whole us army to come look for her nephew. Tony had been there in seconds when Pepper told him, taking Strange’s portal, but it still didn't feel fast enough.

“What if he’s hurt or d-dead again?! O-Oh god, my baby needs me!” May exclaimed, her breath growing shallow as panic took over her body, overwhelming her limbs causing her legs of give out in Tony’s arm. The billionaire had to hold onto the woman to keep her from falling onto the ground. He helped the woman back onto the couch, setting her down before looking her in the eyes.

“May listen to me, I need you to tell me exactly what’s missing,” The billionaire told the sobbing woman.

“H-His backpack, a-a bunch of clothes, his wallet, a-and his suit...oh god this is my fault. I-I should’ve s-seen he wasn’t okay-”

“May, none of this is your fault,” _it’s mine,_ “Nobody could’ve predicted this.” He could’ve. If he had just held Peter close instead of letting him push him away none of this would’ve happened. “But I swear to you I’m gonna find him May. I promise,” Tony told her. The woman looked at him with her puffy eyes, staring at him for a moment, before nodding seeing that the billionaire was truthful. She trusted Stark to bring her baby home.

Leaving May’s Tony felt on the verge of a panic attack as he told Friday to set Peter’s face in facial recognition and alert the proper authorities. He knew the boy was smart enough to not take anything traceable with him. If he truly was running away than the kid knew how. He could only hope that he was wrong.

 

“Miss Parker, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to step in now but has Peter been acting out of character lately?”

 

* * *

 

 

Peter wasn’t running.

 

No, he was just walking in a fast pace in the opposite direction of problems while panicking.

_What if the bad guy reports him to the police for attempted murder?_

_Or worse, what if the man was hurt badly and Peter didn’t see it?_

_Or even worse, what if his family finds out._

_Or even more worse, what if that man is dead? His death would be on Spider-Man’s hands._

Dozens of questions ran through his big brain, all of them unanswered and left for him to linger on. Nothing made sense to him anymore. Than again, when did anything make sense to him in the past two months.

With no answers he took desperate measures to ensure his loved ones safety until he knew what was happening to him. He didn’t return home, only stopping by to pick up some clothes, and ran. Instead he grabbed his bag he left hanging in an alleyway and ran. He had made it to Brooklyn so far and was planning to go further when he passed out on a rooftop.

Peter had quickly changed out of his suit, placing on his normal street clothes, slipping into a hoodie and jeans.

Though Peter knew he didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to run. Quite frankly it was a heavy load he was carrying alone and he was tired. However he couldn’t risk hurting anybody else. He couldn’t be responsible for that. Not again.

The teen always knew something was deeply wrong with him from the moment the battle at the compound happened. Walking away from it felt strange. Like it had changed. His body felt like the after effects of the spider bite again. The newfound strength, the heightened senses, the awareness of the world around him. However his senses didn’t pick up subtle smells or details, it went farther. Like he saw things beyond human capabilities. Almost as if he could see things of universal properties.

The kid knew it was crazy but so far crazy was all he had.

Peter saw the news while trying to buy a train ticket to god knows where. He got a few stares then decided to leave finding it far too risky to leave now his face was plastered on tv. Pushing past dozens of people, hoping none of them truly recognized them. His heart heavy, he decided to continue his journey on foot missing the strange looks one of older male occupants at the bus station gave him.

 

* * *

 

 

Tony Stark rewatched countless hours of old security footage he’d stored under the Baby Monitor Protocol. Inside was dozens of hours worth of lab footage of Tony and Peter hanging out together. He rewatched all of it for what felt the thousand time, unmoving.

After scouring the city for hours with no sign his friend Rhodey forced him to take a break after agreeing to search while he rest. However he couldn’t rest. Not with the kid out there all alone. He couldn’t rest until he had him safe in his Aunt’s arms.

 

 _‘...has Peter been acting out of character lately?’_ Stranges voice rang through his ears, haunting him was May’s answer.

 

_“Y-Yes but I just thought he was depressed like when B-Ben died,” May told the sourcer. “He’s just been so off lately. Like something was bothering him. Anytime I’d talk about anything in 2023 he’d get so upset. I-I tried to help him to see a therapist and it worked a little bit! H-He was getting better!” May sobbed at the thought of her nephew. His big brown eyes looking so dead after he returned to her. “S-Sometimes I’d hear him talking in his sleep and he has horrible night terrors but never tells me about them. T-Though one time he dreamed about B-Ben. I-I could hear him calling him out,” May reminisced about seeing the boy laying in bed all sweaty and calling out to his Uncle desperately, “h-he hasn’t had an Uncle Ben dream in months.” Tony felt guilty listening, thinking he should’ve been here. Wondering why the boy didn’t reach out. He had failed to help Peter again. Strange on the other hand took the information, his face never evading to what he was thinking._

 

He watched the footage in front of him intensely. Only now noticing little details towards Peter’s mood until now. Noting everytime his kid would look off with a heavy look in his eye or tense up at something he says like it was acid that burned him. Then he watched older lab footage from before the original snap where Peter was much more animated and always acted like a kid at Disneyland. The kid’s chatter about Star Wars or some other pop culture always making him joyous despite Tony looking like he wanted to jump out the window in the footage. He compared the teens upbeat voice to the heavy distant one he had now. It filled him with guilt, pain, and mourning. He missed the younger happier Peter because he wasn’t going through all this pain. He was actually happy. Now the kid looked like a mess. Far much more thin, eyes cheeks sunken, tired bags underneath, paler skin.

_Why didn’t he do something?_

Tony wasn’t a complete idiot. He knew the kid was pushing him away. That was obvious when the kid refused to visit him the whole month, always giving him excuses. Though he didn’t know why. At first he was hurt, but thought it best to bad away. He let the kid have some space like Pepper suggested. Now in hindsight that was the worst idea ever.

_How could he let it get so bad?_

Why didn’t he hold Peter close? Why did he let the kid push himself away? Why didn’t he hold him tightly and tell him about how much he loved and cared for him? This was his fault. Tony had brought the kid into the Avenger mess. He took the kid to Titan. He watched the kid disappear in his arms, and told him he was alright. He watched the kid practically bring him back to life with the stones. All of it was because of him.

It felt like he lost him again.

Tony briefly wondered if that’s why he left. He couldn’t protect the kid from this world and now Peter felt like he had to go through all this pain in the world. Was it because he didn’t show him enough love? Or was it because the kid saw him like how he saw Howard? With bitter resentment and hatred? Worry trickled down his spine at the thought.

The sound of his phone going off caught his attention. In annoyance he hung up the phone beside him, ignoring the number on it.

 

Tony shook his head, drinking a glass of cranberry juice before continuing on to the next video numbly.

 

* * *

 

 

Peter sat on a bus bench, using it as his temporary resting place. His eyes were finally felt heavy, and his body was a pile of bricks. His legs begged for him to rest, his eyes wishing for at least twenty minutes of darkness.  His mind wandered to his Aunt. He hoped she would be okay without him. He knew after Ben she was afraid to be alone. The thought of losing another would always send her into a panic. Peter would do anything to take away that pain from her. She deserved better than that. However returning wasn’t an option, not yet at least. He had to find out what was happening to him first. He couldn’t take the risk of putting his Aunt in danger.

Peter’s eyelids slowly began to fall, the weight finally pulling him down. He lost track of how long his eyes stayed like that because next thing he knows he wakes up to his senses telling him somebody was near him. His eyes peeled opened to see the sun was rising. He groaned, his head moving to look next to him to see a small kid sitting on the bench next to him.

Peter blinked, unsure if he was still dreaming. A small little brown boy sat next to him, his body bundled head to toe to warm clothing to fight the cool weather, in his small hands a bus ticket. Awkwardly the teen sat up, finding it uncomfortable to be around a small child. He was socially awkward around kids his own age, let alone little kids. Peter rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the exhaustion he felt.

“You snore a lot.”

Peter jumped at the small voice that spoke up, caught off guard. He mentally cursed, trying to think of what to say.

“My daddy does that a lot too.”  

“T-Thanks?” Peter laughed nervously, wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans. The boy looked at Peter, oblivious to the teens nervousness, and said, “so what’s your story?”

“E-Excuse me?”

“Why are you sleeping on the bench?” The boy shifted his body to face the older teen. Peter raised a brow, surprised by the words coming out the kids mouth.

“Cause I’m an adult.”

“Nuh uh. You’re a kid just like me!”

“Not true. I’m much taller,” Peter pointed out. “So? Doesn’t mean you’re a grown yet.” The teen opened his mouth to reply but he shut it slowly when he didn’t come up with anything to fire back.

“Where are you going?” Peter asked, eyeing the ticket in the kid’s little hand, desperate to change the topic. The kid shrugged, “My Uncle’s home.”

“All by yourself?”

“I’m six and a half,” The boy argued, as if his age would excuse him being out so early with a bus ticket. “Does your mother and father know?”

“No,” The boy muttered, “my daddy thinks my uncle is a bad man but I think he’s cool.”

“Uncles are cool,” Peter agreed, briefly remembered his deceased Uncle Ben. All the times the two of them hung out together despite their differences. He was the closest thing he had as a father growing up. They’d go to ball games, despite his hatred for sports, and go to expos together. He was the definition of an cool uncle despite what his younger self thought.

“Do your parents think your uncle is bad man too?” The boy asked, his voice small.

“U-Uh no. My parents left me when I was little. My uncle actually raised me before he left too..” Peter felt tense at the mention of his deceased family. All the Parker’s were deceased, leaving little him to carry on the family name. Such a great job he’s done. Nearly killed a man, died, and is a terrible friend. Not that he has any to be terrible to anymore.

“So who takes care of you if you don’t have a mommy and daddy?”

“My Aunt,” Peter smiled, “a-and my mentor...though I’m pretty sure he’s moved on. He got a family of his own and doesn’t have time to care for some kid from Queens.”

“Is that why you’re running away?”

“H-How did you know that?” Peter looked at the kid wide eyed like a deer caught in headlights. The kid look in his eyes with big brown innocent eyes. “You have the same look like my uncle when he goes away for a while. He does it a lot. Especially after I went away.”

“Went away?”

“Ya know, turn to dust?”

Peter fell silent. He couldn’t help but feel pity for this kids uncle. Having your family turn to turn to dust, despite not being very close, was a horrible experience for anybody. His Aunt had barely made it through losing him, only living with the hope that Stark would bring him back.

Worst part of it all, an innocent boy was caught in the crossfire as collateral. It left him feeling sick. There was so much evil in this world that there was gonna be a lot more of this kid in the world. Each and everyone of them paying a price they didn’t deserve. No matter how hard the Avengers fought, they would never save them. As long as there’s evil in the world, nobody would be safe.

“I turned to dust too,” Peter lamented, “I’m sorry that you had to too.”

“It’s okay. I’m just happy the Avengers brought us back. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I never got to eat my mama’s pasteles again!” Peter chuckled. The bus pulled up, signaling it was time to go their separate ways. The kid pushed himself off the bench, turning to Peter for a second as people climbed off the bus.

“Your Auntie and mentor must miss you very much even if you snore a lot. They’re probably looking for you right now and when they find you they’ll give you a big hug like my mommy does when I get home from school!”

“Thanks…” Suddenly he had a pair of small arms wrap around him, squeezing him tightly. The teen was not prepared for the hug, looking down at the kid wide eyed. When the little boy pulled back he explained his actions by saying, “you looked like you needed a hug. Mommy says they always make people feel better.”

The teen watched the kid board the bus, handing the driver his ticket and taking a window seat. He could see the kid waving him goodbye as the bus pulled out and left. He hadn’t realized how much he was smiling until his cheeks began to hurt.

 

* * *

 

 

“Can’t your track him?! You’re the wizard with magical powers aren’t you?!” Tony exclaimed, his patiences thrown over the edge as frustration poured through him. He vented on the wizard, annoyed the man had done little to nothing to help.

“If I could, I wouldn’t have gone asking you where the boy was!” Strange snapped, frustrated at the billionaire. “Something is blocking him from me. Not even the best sorcerer in this universe can track him!”

“Oh great, now I’ve got a missing kid and a useless wizard to deal with! This is just perfect!”

Strange turned around, his expression dangerous, his face nearly touching the other human. “This would never have happened if YOU had actually told the kid the truth! Your selfish need to protect everyone is what got us in this mess in the first place!” If it weren’t for the immediate need to find Peter, Tony might of actually put on the suit and gone a few rounds for doctor douchebag. Whether he liked to admit it or not, he needed Strange. He was the only one who had experience with this kind of stuff. What if Peter was slipping? What if he found out and ran away? Tony needed a plan that ensure the safety of the kid and the planet. He needed to keep himself composed till then.

But his words stung.

Not telling Peter about the stones was his idea. As far as the kid was concerned, those stones turned to dust along with the Thanos squad. He convinced himself that it was for the best. That maybe the stone didn’t actually do anything to his beloved intern and he could continue living normally. However from the moment the kid told him he was fine after Nat’s funeral he knew something was wrong with the kid.

Tony could only pray the kid was okay.

 

* * *

 

  


Peter dodged walked through the city life with his head down. His body was tired from the lack of rest, and his limbs threatening to go out. His stomach growled for some grub, throwing sharp knives at his gut demanding food. His eyes stayed glued to the ground below, counting the steps mentally to keep his head moving.

The outside world was foreign to him. Not leaving his home for months, afraid to accept his new reality, Peter couldn’t move on. His mind still stuck 2018. He kept chasing the ghost of what the world once was. It was probably why he had such difficulty navigating himself through the new city. Most of his time period Queens was gone, replaced by the future. It was like a stab in the gut.

_“Your Auntie and mentor must miss you very much even if you snore a lot. They’re probably looking for you right now and when they find you they’ll give you a big hug like my mommy does when I get home from school!”_

The kids innocent words resonated in his heart leaving him second guessing everything. Though he was struggling to cope and understand himself, he missed his Aunt. She’s a strong woman, more than Peter ever have her credit for. His heart longed for his family. Maybe he should just talk things out with Mister Stark. Maybe he could help explain. Or maybe help him find out what was happening to him and help make sure people are safe around him. Or just maybe, they’ll both finally talk their problems out. He was tired of ignoring his mentor. He couldn’t stay upset any longer. He was too afraid to care anymore. He just wanted his mentor to hug him and tell him it was okay. _Like a father would tell his child_ he thought before shaking it out of his head.

His Aunt deserved better than this. So much better and so does Mister Stark.

For a moment he was thinking clearly.

Running away wasn’t helping him learn anything. He was alone, cold, hungry, and dehydrated. He needed help and he wasn’t getting that by running away.

The teen stopped in his tracks, staring down the sidewalk recognizing it instantly. If he turned down the alleyway next to him, Peter would be on route home and would end this whole thing. However if he kept going forward, he’d still be running away. He hesitated before his heart made the choice for him.

He dipped down the shady alleyway.

The time for running was over. It was time he grew up and faced his problems for the sake of his sanity. He need Mister Stark to help him find out was going on. He needed his Aunt support. He needed to go home.

Suddenly Peter nearly tripped over his feet when he felt a familiar unbearable buzzing in his skull. It was sudden and sharp, throwing the teen off. He could barely react before he’s grabbed from behind. He gasps has his body collides to the stone cold brick wall, feeling somebody press up from behind.

“Little past your bedtime isn’t it,” the person behind tells him, his breath reeking of cheap alcohol and old cigarettes.

Peter squirmed under the grip, trying to break free from the grip the man held him in.

“I’ve had my eyes on you for a bit. Got to say, not as impressive as I was told you were.” He heard a click and suddenly he couldn’t move his arms. They were being held back by some sort of cuffs. He couldn’t really see them. However as soon as the metal hit his skin, he was hit with a wave of fatigue hit him, nearly knocking him off his feet. He felt a strange tingly feeling shoot through his body, like his atoms were buzzing.

“No-“ He tried to cry out but a sweaty hand covered his mouth, muting him. His other hand grasping onto his arm dangerously tight. The scents, the sudden danger, the need to break free hit him like truck speeding down the highway. All of it overwhelming him. His breathing felt unnatural as his limbs turned to jelly. To his horror, his mind couldn’t wrap itself around what was happening.

Though by the sound of the man’s voice it should’ve been obvious.

“You know, after all that hard work I put in following you, I might have some fun now,” The man whispered into his ear making him whimper. Peter could hear the man’s zipper and feared what was to come next.

_No no no no._

Peter tried to struggle, squirming under the man’s grip. He managed to get a kick in before he heard the man grunt. The teen was spun around, forcing him to look at the older man, his attacker. He tried to raise his arms to fight only to come to the reminder he was cuffed. The first hit from the man felt like comet collided into his face. It was unlike anything he felt before during patrol. This was more like pre spider when getting hurt actually really hurt. Back when even the slightest hit would leave his head spinning for days.

Unfortunately the hits kept coming until he was subdued onto the ground battered.

“Ain’t so tough now huh?”

He wanted to keep fighting, kick, punch, bite but it never happened. Instead his body started shutting down turning him into a limp doll, forcing him to accept his fate as an attempt to protect after realizing there was no escape.

_Why wasn’t he fighting? Why won’t his body move? Why won’t he do something?!_

Peter imagined hearing his mentors repulsors like he did as a child. Stark swinging down to blast the big bad robot away to save him. The real life hero next to him, standing in the light of glory. Tony’s soothing blue light of the suit arc reactor telling him he was safe. The suit opening revealing the billionaire to come save the day.  He just imagined it as he was held helplessly against his will.

“Scream and I’ll show you what a real bad guy looks like.”

Peter’s mind went blank, turning into a white wall. Though he felt the man’s creepy hands move to places they shouldn’t be his mind reminded blank.

_Help...please._

Peter’s could only pray. His mind muttering multiple pleas as he drifted away from his body. His mind off drifting through some water bank, eyes staring upwards at the dark foggy sky above. The clouds painted a gloomy purple with a magenta sun, its water reflecting the colors making it dark. He felt something nearby, watching him intently. His eyes turned to see a figure standing a fre steps away, floating over the water underneath.  

 _Help me._ He begged mentally, unable to move his mouth.

“Oh shit-“

Peter heard the man scream though the teen couldn’t see why. His mind was still stuck in the water. He heard the man collapse beside him, his body falling with a loud thud. Then there was deafening silence. His body remained still, waiting for the next hit or whatever treacherous thing came next but it never did. There was a click, his arms were set free to fall. The tingling suddenly faded, completely disappearing from his body leaving him feeling physically normal again. His gaze wandered from the dark sky’s above to the cuffs themselves. They looked odd. Unlike the standard cop handcuffs, these were bulkier and looked heavier. Like giant metal collars for his wrists. 

Peter didn’t look at them for long, his eyes moving to the sky above. His body didn’t make a move. He just laid there broken, his body aching as a harsh sob escaped his lips. The sky no longer purple but a dark blue with white specks all around. He no longer was stuck in the water but back in reality. He bit his lip, fearful of letting all his emotion go. The hero didn’t look away from the sky until he heard somebody say,

_“It’s alright my gem, you are safe now.”_

A figure floated in front of him, its face covered by a dark cloak and surrounded by dark smoke. The cloak itself was dirty and ripped. It was clearly old judging how battered it looks. However none of that mattered. Peter’s broken eyes fell onto the man who a few moments ago held him against his will and nearly…He was now laying dead beside him. No visible wounds were present telling him how he died. Though deep down he knew his soul suffered deeply as he passed.

He was suddenly hyper aware of how dirty he felt. Despite not having a speck of dirt on him, he felt like a trash dump. He felt exposed, like he was standing naked for the whole world to see him. He just wanted to scrub his skin until all the dirt was gone.

“You killed him,” Peter stated, his voice monotone, inattentive to the floating figure being in the real world now.

 _“Yes I did.”_ No remorse or regret in the figures voice. It was flat, not a single care about the deceased in his voice.

Peter’s fists clenched, his body feeling dirtier than it’s ever felt before. Not even being covered in actual filth could even begin to replicate how he felt now. He wished the world would just stop. For once not spin and just rest for a second. However the world didn’t stop for him. It kept spinning with every breath he took, the clock still ticking.

The teen stared at the deceased man for a while before his attention fell onto the floating figure reminding him that he wasn’t alone.

“Why’d you do that?” No, who are you? No what’s your deal? No superhero talk. Just a small kid asking why this figure had saved him. “ _It’s my job to protect you from all harm my gem. Tis’ my duty to serve you till the end._ ”

Peter wanted to ask what the figure ment but he couldn’t find the strength. His mind wandered back to the dead body, feeling all the pain within him swirl, choking him till his face went blue.

 

“I’m sorry,” He whispered to nobody specific.

 

The figure was gone by the time he looked at him again. Left to be thought of only a figment of his imagination.

 

* * *

 

 

Peter body felt like it was on auto drive as he ran through the streets of New York searching for a payphone.

Peter’s body suddenly collided into somebody, knocking the body out of the way and onto the ground.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!”

Peter didn’t respond, he just stumbled away like a druggie in need of a fix. Wearing new clothes he changed into unable to bare wearing his other clothing anymore. He made it to a payphone, scrabbling for the quarters he kept in his bag. With shaky hands he looked at the quarters, trying his best to ignore the numb feeling his body gave him.

Peter rolled in the quarters, he glanced at the number pad ready to type his mentors number his body came to a screeching halt. He craved his mentors voice, desperately needing somebody to hold him. He was scared and confused, feeling like a child once again as the rain suddenly began to pour over him. His breaths were heavy as his finger shook over the first digit. After a moment of hesitation, he punched in the numbers quickly. He awaited by the ringing phone, his beating heart racing as dozens of thoughts plagued him.

_How could he explain that he almost…_

_Would he blame him?_

_He was suppose to be a superhero, how could he let this happen?_

_This was all his fault._

Peter’s body shook, his mouth latched onto his fingers in his fist, biting down deeply, trying to get himself to feel anything. By the time he tasted blood, someone picked up the phone.

“M-Mister Stark?” Peter’s voice was small and sounded like a frightened child calling out to their parents. He sounded desperate to hear his mentors voice once again.

“ _Hello?_ ” The sound of a little girl's voice made his blood run cold. It wasn’t Mister Stark but his four year old daughter who answered. “ _Who’s this?_ ”

Peter couldn’t speak, feeling a wave of emotions flood him.

“ _Morgan, what are you doing of you dad’s phone?_ ” Happy’s voice came through from the background. Peter knew calling was a bad idea. Stark didn’t care about him. He didn’t need him. _“Daddy’s phone was ringing!”_ Peter could hear the older man take the phone, picking it away from the young Stark’s hand.

_Hang up, hang up, hang u-_

“ _Who is this?_ ”

Peter couldn’t form words, his shaky breathing growing heavier and uneven. His sight grew foggy as a small sob escaped him. His fingers wouldn’t unclutch the phone. They stayed locked on, his arms refusing to hang up.

 _“If this is some kind of joke-”_ Peter took a shaky breath. He felt so small compared to Happy’s annoyed voice. He couldn’t help but shrink under the loud voice.

 _“_ H-Happy _?”_

 _“Big brother!”_ He heard Morgan exclaim.

Peter couldn’t help but feel happy to hear their voices. It made him feel better to have a familiar voice to listen to.

 _“Jesus christ, Peter?”_ Happy asked.

“Happy,” He replied, unable to say anything else in the moment. His voice even more broken than before. _“Oh shit! Are you alright? Are you hurt?”_ The kid could tell the man was moving around quickly by the sounds of shuffling coming from the other line.

 _“_ I-I’m sorry Happy. _”_

_“What the heck happened to you? You just disappeared! You nearly gave everyone a heart attack! Stark nearly had a stroke when he heard about your little Houdini trick!”_

“I’m sorry...I wasn’t thinking straight. I-I was scared,” Peter confessed, his eyes watering. “S-Something’s happening to me and I-I don’t know what to do.” He didn’t mention the assault, finding it too difficult to say the words.

“ _Kid tell me where you are? I’ll pick you up and I’ll bring you to Tony. Then you can talk to him about whatever is bugging you. Just tell me where you are.”_

“I’m-”

**_“Don’t tell him.”_ **

Peter froze, hesitating to speak. The voice was firm, like it meant business. This wasn’t just his hallucinations or dreams anymore. He was hearing things in real time.

**_“We can't trust him.”_ **

“ _Peter?”_

“I can’t tell you.” Peter couldn’t control the words that were coming out of his mouth. His voice was abrupt, like he had to force the words out. It pained him to say it but he couldn’t say anything. Something was telling him to hang up but his body remained still.

“ _Kid listen to me-“_

“I-I’m sorry Happy. I’ve got to go.”

“ _Wait, Peter don’t hang up-“_

Peter’s arm broke free from whatever paralyzed state it was in, hanging the phone up quickly on the receiver. If he had stayed on the line a second longer, he might of actually told the older man his location.

Peter kicked the payphone leaving a forever dent on the chunk of metal underneath it. Outburst of angers weren’t usually his thing but everything felt so crazy. His whole life kept falling into pieces and now he didn’t know who could trust.

Suddenly the sound of footsteps caught his ear, each step coming from behind getting closer.

 _‘Not again,’_ Peter thought. His mind spinning as the footsteps grew closer. He awaited his senses to go off warning him, too frightened to make a move. He awaited the pain to hit him again but it never came.

 

“Rough night, Spider-Man?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt so bad writing this not gonna lie. This chapter was also very long.  
> I’m in no way supporting sexual assault in anyway and if any of you have been violated in this way please know you’re never alone through it.  
> Anyways after this I’m gonna lay off the angst a bit and try to focus on the plot. Though there will still be a little bit of angst. Though I promise things will eventually get better for our favorite spiderson though it might take some time to heal. He’s gonna be okay eventually. Like all things it’ll take some time and effort.  
> Y’all know what’s coming up. I’m gonna get a little bit into Far From Home and my rendition of it for this story. Things will obvious change like no MJ or Ned since in this universe they’re grown up. I might add the elementals but it really depends.  
> Anyways thanks for all of your guy’s kind words! I love reading your comments and enjoy making stories for you guys to read! Thanks for all the love and support! Don’t forget to leave a comment! Love y’all <3


	7. The Prophecy of The Child of Infinite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter’s thrown back into the hero world when Fury comes barging into his life. He’s forced to cope with his emotions in a unhealthy way by bottling them up in order to save the world.
> 
> Also he goes on a little field trip to England.
> 
> ALSO Peter finds out a bit more about what’s happening to him.

“Rough _night, Spider-Man?”_

 

Peter turned around slowly, his heart pounding as he faced whoever stood behind him. His shaking body faced the man behind him.

It was Nick Fury.

_As in director of SHEILD Nick Fury._

_He was so screwed._

“Y-You must be mistaken. I’m not Spider-Man-“

“I already know who you are Mister Parker. So do me a favor, let’s skip the whole secret identity and get to the point.” Peter’s mouth screwed shut, his eyes falling to the floor unable to look the other man in the eye.

“You’re a very difficult person to contact, Spider-Man.”

The man stepped closer, his eye stuck on the battered teen. Glancing at the nasty bruise on his cheek before the baggy clothes over the kids small body. Clearly meeting Spider-Man in real life didn’t live up to Fury’s expectation.

“You know for being a hero, you’re pretty bad at picking up the phone when the world needs you to.” Peter felt a bitterness hit him. The world always needed saving. It was a never ending cycle.

“So you just gonna stay quiet? Not even gonna ask why I’m here?” Fury prompted.

“With all due respect sir, I don’t really want whatever you’re gonna offer,” Peter snapped. He had just wanted to leave and find a hole to curl up and die in.

“I’m afraid you really don’t got a choice,” Fury states, “You’re the only currently available hero that universe has to protect it.”

“You’re joking.” Of the director was joking he showed no indications. “There’s gotta be somebody else you can use. What about Iron Man?” The mention of his mentor was just rubbing salt on a fresh wound that he had yet to tend to.

“Retired and won’t answer my calls even if somebody put a gun to his head, but you should know that.”

“Thor?”

“Offworld.”

“Captain Marvel?”

“Unavailable.” Peter bit his lip, the thought of Spider-Man going out was dangerous to him. He wanted to scream at the man and tell him no way. He wasn’t ready to don the red spandex again.  However Nick Fury must be truly desperate to come for some low level hero for help. Though the thought of putting on the spandex suit again made him nervous. How could he put that suit on and call himself a hero anymore? He nearly killed somebody and wasn’t strong enough to protect himself from...how was he supposed to protect the whole god damn universe. He was a kid.

“I’m sorry but I can’t help you,” Peter told the man, his voice small and full of guilt. He was shameful of the words leaving his mouth.

“Does it have to do with the fact you look like somebody used your as their personal punching bag or about that criminal who’s claiming Spider-Man nearly killed him?”

Peter tensed, feeling the man hit a raw nerve within him. Why couldn’t Fury just leave and find some other hero? He wasn’t the only one in New York. Why did he have to be so intimidating and pour salt into his fresh wounds?

“Look I don’t care about your personal story or what you’ve done,” Fury announced, “but I need to know now if I’m making a mistake coming to you.”

The hero finally gained the courage to look up at the older man.

“So tell me, are you a hero Mister Parker?” The question sat with him, eating him up alive slowly. It picked at him, poking holes in him. Heros were people who protect people. He’s tried to watch out for the people of New York but right now he didn’t feel like a hero. He felt weak and helpless. How could he trust himself on the battlefield? How could he fight knowing he was unstable? He was scared, worried, confused, lost, angry, sorrowful. He nearly took another's life and couldn’t protect himself from the bad guy.

Peter should walk away.

But he knew he couldn’t walk away.

His feet stayed planted on the ground, his arms folded, eyes falling. What he felt didn’t matter. With great power, comes great responsibility. Those were his Uncle’s exact words to him before dying. Those words shaped who he was. They’re what gave him the power to be a hero in the first place. Even if he was dying on the ground, he still owed to to his Uncle to fight. Now he was turning his back on his Uncle. What happened to him was awful, but that shouldn’t stop him from joining the fight, from protecting people.

He couldn’t allow himself to be a victim if he’s meant to be the hero.

Peter had to fight or he feared he would break.

 **“Doesn’t matter what you did or what you were, if you step out that door you are an Avenger.”** Peter wasn’t hundred percent sure what Mister Hawkeye’s voice was doing in head, but it was enough for him to make his final choice.

The teen glanced one last time towards the alleyway, thinking about all that had happened for a moment, the man’s screaming, his ugly voice, his nasty stench, his saviour, the fear. He wasn’t even actually raped. He was sexually assaulted. The man hadn’t gotten so far before the floating man saved him. He was making a big deal out of nothing. He couldn’t let himself crumble away. He had to keep together.

He just had to.

Peter just wanted to forget of all that happened. Push away the memory, locking it away in dark closet and throw away the key. Now was no time to sulk. He could do that all day, but the world will always keep spinning. It wouldn’t change anything if he let his emotions consume him. Dwelling on the past was a dark scary path that Peter couldn’t afford to walk down. He just had to get over it and move on.

Though despite it all, the teen knew all too well that he would never forget what happened tonight.

 

“What’s the mission?”

 

* * *

 

 

Peter was sitting dozens of feet off the ground in a private jet now wearing Shield borrowed clothing. He had yet to put on the suit, trying to wear the suit as least as possible. He rubbed his fingers gently at the stitches that laid on his forehead blindly.

 

_“Careful this will sting,” The shield doctor told him, pulling out a disinfectant wipe. Gently the woman cleaned the wound, surprised by the lack of reaction from the teen._

_Peter could feel her grow curious as she prepared the needle. Infact Peter even knew what she was about to say before the words left her mouth._

**_Done this before?_ **

_“Done this before?” She asked._

_“More that I can count,” He muttered, shifting his body away from the womans touch. He hated the way her hands felt on his body, they were all too cold. They were unlike his Aunt’s soft warm hands. The woman's eyes wandered down downwards towards Peter’s arm, noting the hand brusings like somebody grabbed him hard._

_“So how did you say that you got hurt again?”_

_“I didn’t,” Peter snipped. The woman sighed, her eyes focused on the stiches, occasionally looking at the bruises that marked the kids body. She seemed to get the idea that Peter wasn’t gonna speak._

_The doctor finished the stiching, placing a bandage over it to ensure no outside bacteria would cause an infection. “Thank you,” He said in a small voice. “You’re welcomed.” The doctor flashed him a small but quick smile._

_The kid slowly sat up, ignoring his body’s protest to stay laid down. “Is that your bag?” The doc asked, glancing at the backpack laying forgotten on the floor beside a bag full of clothes._

_Peter nodded, sliding off the bed. He stood up, picking up the bags, and moving towards the door. Before he left, the teen dropped the bag of clothes in the bin, before leaving without a word._

 

Peter snapped out of his memory when he felt the helicopter drop for a few seconds before returning normal. His eyes widened, his fingers digging into the seat underneath him.

“It’s just turbulence,” Miss Hill told him, “No need to worry.”

 _Just turbulence_ . _T_ _he plane wasn’t failing, it was just shaking a bit_ . _No worries._

Peter repeated that to himself. He wasn’t gonna die. He was perfectly fine. He looked Miss Hill who was watching him with an amused smirk. The teen gave her a forced awkward nervous smile trying his best to look like he was scared out of his mind.

Mister Fury (?) suddenly looked his way handing him a folder after spending a few minutes looking through it. “W-What’s this?” Peter asked, taking the folder into his own hands. He grabbed the corner of the folder, peeling it open. Inside were photos of the whole world. Different places on the world were marked with different colors. Some were marked green, which according to the bottom of the paper meant good. Other parts were yellow, red, or purple. Yellow meaning moderate, red being high, purple being unnaturally high. However none of this made sense to him. It was just a bunch of colors to him without any context.

“I don’t get it, what does this mean?” Peter asked.

“There readings.”

“Readings of what?”

“Energy levels.” Peter glances upward, his mouth pursed but slightly open and loose. His eyes are fixed as if he’s looking at something a yard behind Fury’s head. “Our world gives out a specific energy reading. Normally readings are below the hundreds in what we call the green zone,” Hill explained.

“But this shows different colors?” Peter thought a loud.

“I’m getting there.” Peter sunk down in his seat, embarrassed. “Now these readings have modulated before, the first recorded reading being the time being the Battle of New York when Loki invaded our world.” Peter remembered the battle. He was a kid at the time and remembered being out with his Aunt when the aliens first invaded. They were watching the news when they saw what was happening. May had dropped everything in shock when she saw the first signs of alien reaching Queens zoom past their window. She rushed home with Peter, locking themselves in the bathroom incase. They spent what felt like hours hiding, wondering if Ben was alright. It wasn’t until Ben came home, calling their names out did they come out of hiding and wrap their arms around him. Though he didn’t see the full fight, Peter knew exactly what happened thanks to his little chats with Mister Stark. “At the time we assumed the reading was affected by the presences of the Asgardian and Chitari. However long after their departure, the readings didn’t go down. Which meant something else was causing the readings.”

Peter looked back down at the photo, picking it up and looking underneath it. There were more photos with different labels. _Ultron invasion, Civil War, Hong Kong spike_ -levels rise.

“But by Ultron we knew something else was going on. These readings were being caused by something else.” Peter’s heart skipped a beat when he glimpsed at the last photo.

‘ _The Snap_ ’ was written in large sharpe letters on the top.

Then it hit him, smacking him right in the face. All of these events had one thing in common. According to Mister Stark, Loki possessed two stones when coming to earth. _Space and Mind_ . During Ultron, Banner and Stark created Vision using the _Mind Stone_. During the battle of the Civil War, Vision was among one of the many fighters on Stark’s team fighting for the side of justice. Then during the snap, Thanos had all six stones and used them all to wipe him out along with half the universe.

“The stones,” Peter muttered, his eyes dawning in realization.

“Yes. During each event there was only one common factor. The infinity stones. At least one of the stones were active during all those period. So we modified our computers to pick up and scan stone energy spikes.” Peter glanced at the most recent photo, looking at the date. It was taken a week ago, right before he ran off around the time he stopped the robbery. It was far worse than the other photos, there was more color than there was actual green. Everything off balance.  
“B-But these readings don’t make sense. The stones are gone. Mister Stark destroyed them after snapping Thano’s army out of existence.”

“We think that the snap ripped tears into our world.”

“No offense but what do you think I can do? I’m a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man not a magician, that’s more of Strange’s specialty. Wouldn’t he have been a better hero to bring?”

“Strange has made it very clear that he’s not a people person,” Fury spoke up suddenly. “So that leaves you.”

“Great,” Peter sighed, glancing out the window, watching the clouds in the sky, effectively ending the conversation for the moment.

 

* * *

 

 

When they landed, Peter in awe looking at the city buildings above. Europe was far different from America. For starters it looked far less crowded, and had much more green. Though it could just be where he was in Europe.

“We’ve sent an agent to inform your aunt that you’re well. We won’t give her specifics like you location incase Stark decides to come hunt you down. However we will allow five minute calls from a Shield phone. It’s programed to bounce off of different cell towers, making you untraceable.” Peter took the phone awkwardly examining the bland ugly flip phone wondering how this could be so advanced. _Stark phones are so much better_ he sneakily thought to himself. He felt a wave of sadness hit him. He promised himself to focus on the mission and not let himself look back. However the thought of his late mentor caused him to leak emotions.

“Still with me Spider-Man?”

“Y-Yeah, “ Peter sucked in his emotions with a deep inhale, “c-could you stop calling me that? I-I still have a secret identity to protect.” He voice turned into a whisper towards the end.

“Sure. Is Mister Parker okay?”

“P-Peter please. Mister Parker sounds too…”

“Grown up?” Hill offered, sparing a glance at the young teen. Peter sheepishly nodded. The agent chuckled, making a mental note to call the boy by his first name. The two met Fury by a car where the Shield director was currently speaking to somebody. The girl he was speaking to looked like a soldier, her shoulders squared, back straight, making eye contact, nodding her head along.

“ _Make sure to tell Agents Westcott and Porter to return to base. Their mission is done._ ”

“ _Yes sir.”_ The girl turned towards him and walked away, briefly making eye contact with him before she passed him. Peter watched her go before turning his attention back on the Fury and Hill.

“Let’s go, all this fresh air is killing me,” Fury stated, his serious tone fixed. Hill smiled, clearly taking his statement light hearted. Peter stayed quiet, not knowing whether or not the man was actually joking. Instead he followed the older adults into a car, clenching the phone in his hands tightly. Fury and Hill were in the front while Peter was sat in the back. The teen stayed silent, feeling his mind drift off. He hadn’t noticed how tired he was until now. The humming of the car and the bumpy road was enough to make his eyes grow heavy.

The last thing he remembered was watching the road before his eyes closed.

 

_Peter was floating._

 

_The twinkling lights hypnotized him. As he passed through the worlds, supernovas and galaxies, everything exploded into his vision with endless colour and energy radiating off them. He could feel the energy run through him, coursing through his veins, living inside him._

_Peter never felt more at home._

**_“Do you feel it? My power brushing upon your soul?”_ **

_Peter could see an orange light. It shun above him, radiating so close to his pale skin, yet felt so far. He could feel it. It felt so great, like life pumping through him._

**_“I send you message. Hear my call.”_ **

_Peter watched as the light formed a picture before his eyes. It was the Avengers compound. The battle ground reeked of death and ruin. The dust of their enemies blew through the air letting the calm take over._

_Peter could see himself. He was walking through the rubble, the mask on his face coming off revealing a large smile. He could feel the pride. They had won he heard himself think. His doppelgangers eyes turned, searching for his mentor to exclaim the good news._

_The smile on his face fell._

_Both Peter’s eyes fell onto the dying figure of their mentor. The waterworks began to build up as he watched himself run to his mentor. His feet moving across the field desperately to reach his father. A group of people already begun to surround the mentor, their eyes saying it all._

_Peter didn’t remember this._

**_“I feel your pain, your suffering, your heart break. You mourn for the dying.”_ **

_Peter was now standing over his mentor, bending down to meet the dead man's eyes. Tears had already begun to fall._

_“We won,” Peter’s clone said, his tears falling onto the ground below._

**_“The universe hears your cries. We offer you an accord.”_ **

_Peter watched as he was pulled away by Pepper. He watched himself break down in a moment he didn’t remember. Everything seemed so real. All of it was like a memory longing to be remembered. Through all of the sorrow he saw it. The bright orange light. He could feel it fading, its equals dying beside it._ _  
_ _Peter could see life fading from them. It was unlike anything he’s ever seen before._

_They were alive._

**_“I will cease to exist along with my brethren. Our power will be set free and there will be no balance.”_ **

_He could see them. Sentient beings. Their form within the stones, living and now dying. They were gods in the shape of small rocks. He saw them place a piece of their themselves inside each stone, creating a balance as each sentient being took their final breath._

**_“The universe has chosen you to be be the carrier of our power. You will be gifted with the power of the gods and the choice to save your father.”_ **

_Peter watched as himself turned towards the soul stone, he eyes widened as if he actually was hearing the voice speak. His face showed how desperate he was but it also was full of understanding._

**_“Be warn my child as there is a great price to be faced when taking our gift.”_ **

_Peter’s clone stepped towards the stone, catching the attention of Pepper and the other people around. However his decision was made already. He could no longer watch the scene play out in front of him. He couldn’t loose another father._

_Not this time._

_Peter could see the desperateness on his own face, the fear of losing another barring on him. His hand grasped the stone, opening his soul to the stone._

_Peter could only watch himself._

_He watched himself glow as he bent down towards his mentor, holding his hand out to grab his mentors cheek. Then the light filled the scene blinding all who watched. He watched his body collapse on the side like a limp doll._

_Stark opened his eyes_

**_“Listen well! I speak the future! A prophecy for all to hear! A boy with the purest of heart will be chosen from the deeps of rubble. His body transformed, reborn on earth becoming one with mind and soul.”_ **

_Peter could see himself standing, behind him was six ginormous seats hidden in the shadows. All that could be seen was the glowing eyes, each one representing a stone. His eyes not the brown ones he know but replaced with the universe. Dozens of stars scattered across his eyes, always moving._

**_“He will set on a journey, a trial that tests the heart and soul. The Child of Infinite shall be the universe’s salvation…”_ **

_Peter watched as the scene faded. He saw the whole universe. Every single intricate thread in the large web of life. Every soul that lives. He could hear the life bouncing off it. He could feel it all._

_Time._

_Mind._

_Space._

_Soul._

_Reality._

_Power._

**_“Or the cause of its destruction.”_ **

_Peter’s finger reached to touch the web. However as soon as his fingers brushed upon the web, the web wilted. He watched in horror as the web crippled, its color fading away, the singing twisted into awful screaming. He backed away as the web crumbled, fading to dust before his very eyes._

_Images flashed before his eyes. Shield logo printed on a uniform, Doctor Strange floating above with his hands held out holding something down with his magic, Iron Man in midair with dozens of helicopters behind him, green gas, tears in the universe, and Peter standing on top of a cliff on planet where the sky’s were dark._

_“Peter….?”_

_Peter tried to scream, but he was forced to watch as images flashed. His eyes burned, and his brain cried out. He could feel all of it fill his skull, flooding his conscious. It felt like his brain was being teared apart and pulled back together again._

 

_“PETER!”_

 

Peter shot awake, his eyes flying wide open as the sudden yank on his shoulder. His heart banged like a drum and his body sweat like is Niagara Falls.

His eyes met Hills face who held onto his shoulder, concerned laced all over her

“Don’t touch me!” Peter hissed, pulling away from the agents touch. He hated the way anybody’s hand felt on his body. It felt wrong.

“I’m sorry,” Hill apologized, holding her hands up in surrender. “You were having a nightmare and were here at the base.”

Peter felt bad for snapping at the woman, he should never have yelled her. He couldn’t help but feel like a burden.

“N-No I’m sorry. I-I shouldn’t have yelled.”

“No it’s okay. I crossed a boundary. I’m sorry.” Peter sighed, rubbing his tired eyes, feeling a headache come on.

“Come on, Fury wants you to meet someone,” Hill said, changing the subject. Peter halfheartedly nodded. He followed the agent out of the car, following her inside to the secret Shield base. The words of his vision echoing through his head, feeling far too real to be just a dream.

 

**_“The Child of Infinite shall be the universe’s salvation or the cause of its destruction.”_ **

 

It only left him with more questions than answers. What had really happened during that final battle with Thanos and why was he seeing visions? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters? Who would’ve know.  
> Probably a lot of mistakes but I couldn’t wait to post this. 
> 
> Next chapter will probably be from Tony’s and Aunt May’s POV.
> 
> Thanks for reading <3


	8. Come Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and May’s point of view on the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated the title because the old title was out of date. It was a quick, kinda stupid, title that I made up quickly back when I thought it was gonna be a one chapter wonder.

Tony Stark nearly had a heart attack when Happy told him about the call. His heart had skipped a beat, and his eyes bulged out of his skull. He was in his little mini lab when Happy had barged into the lab like a madman uninvited, looking as if he ran a marathon.

“Would it kill anybody to say hello anymore?” Tony grumbled, throwing down his screwdriver into his toolbox.

“Peter just called,” Happy blurted out with no warning, ignoring the mechanics comments and down attitude.

“What? When?! Is he still on the pho-“

“He hung up,” Happy deflated.

“Hung up?!” Tony scoffed. “So you’re telling me you had the kid on the phone and you let him hang up!” It wasn’t fair to be angry, but life wasn’t fair. The universe usually loved to give him gifts of light then pull a fast one over him. So yeah, he was pissed.

“I can’t control the person on the other line! I’m not a freaking psychic!” Happy exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air in a fit.

“Yeah, because you’d be horrible at it!” Tony let out a frustrated groan, feeling the tension of the week catch up to him, making his eyes feel suddenly very heavy, his limbs like bricks, and his mind mush.

“When did he call?” Tony asked, grabbing the phone from the other man’s hand, taking it over to his desk. “Friday, pull up the most recent call recording.”

“Just a few minutes ago-wait you record your own phone-you know what forget it!”

“ _Will do boss_.”

Happy watched as the retired hero pulled up the recording of the call, finding it quite disturbing that the other man found recording his own phone was completely normal.

Tony gave the command for the AI to play the call, his face suddenly ice.

“M-Maybe you shouldn’t list-“

“ _M-Mister Stark?_ ” Happy rushed to the mechanics aid, catching the man mid fall from shock. He helped his boss to a chair, placing him on it. He tried to ask if he was okay but was shut down by the complete heartbroken look on the man’s face. It was the face the man wore for months after returning from Titan empty handed with only his guilt and regret with him. The depression was horrible for everyone, watching all their friends hope whither away after being told there was no hope to return the fallen. To see that look again was like looking at a ghost.

“ _Morgan, what are you doing of you dad’s phone?_ ” Happy’s voice suddenly cut in. The sound of Peter’s quiet sobs could be heard through the phone static as the security guard yelled at the boy, warning him.

“ _H-Happy?_ ” God the kid sounded so broken listening back on it. In the moment time moved too fast to hear every detail but now all of it was hitting him in the face. The cracking voice, terrified sniffling, choked sobs. All of it was enough to make Happy back away from the mechanic and just listen.

“ _I’m so sorry, Happy.._ ” The kid sounded so deflated, sucked dry of all his usual spunky drive. He just sounded like a normal kid, terrified of something and broken about whatever.

“ _I’m sorry...I wasn’t thinking straight. I-I was scared….S-Something’s happening to me and I-I don’t know what to do._ ”

Tony’s face hardened, his emotions blocked from sight. Though Happy might not know what the man was thinking, he knew inside the man was worried and shattered by how fragile his mentee sounded. Any stranger could walk in here and think this man was upset because Peter was his real son who went missing.

The billionaire’s eyes flickered towards an empty chair across from him, keeping his gaze steady on it.

“ _Where are you kid?_ ” Happy exhaled, already knowing what was going to happen next. “ _I’m…”_ There was a pause. “I can’t tell you.”

Tony shifted his seat, his eyes remaining on the empty shark across of him. It was Peter’s chair, the one that Tony got just for him before the whole Thanos thing. He never had the heart to get rid of it. Maybe deep down a part of him knew he was getting the kid back so he kept it in the lab open and waiting for him.

 

 _“You need a chair. It’s like a rule. All the best scientists and mechanics have one. You sit on it, think, brainstorm, eat, sleep, and brood on it. Although you’re not allowed to do the last two things._ ” _Tony told the kid after noticing the kid awkwardly standing as they tried to brainstorm ideas for their new project. Though the kid seemed contempt with standing, it go without saying that Stark wasn’t happy with letting him just stand._

_“You don’t have to Mister Stark! It’s no big deal! I can stand!” The kid protest, suddenly high on his heels instead of leaning on the table. “Kid, your first chair is a big deal. It’s where you spend most of your thinking time. So you’re getting one. No whining.” That was it for the great Tony Stark. However it only earned a rolling of the eyes from the young teen and him restraining himself from letting out a laugh._

 

Tony clenched his fist, thinking of the scared little boy out there all alone terrified, possibly hurt. It killed him. It felt like somebody kept crushing his heart with a hammer. Everything was suppose to be okay when the kid came back. Return how it was except for five years in the future.

“Friday can you trace the call?”

“ _The call originated from a payphone in Manhattan Boss.”_

“I’m sorry Tony.” Tony ignored the older man, shooting up from the chair. The call was fresh meaning if he flew fast he’d have a good chance of finding the kid before he got far. He ignored the concerned calls of his friend and took off without a word.

 

* * *

 

 

May was picking out a photo of Peter to print on a missing flyer when she got the news.

 

Flipping through photo albums and staring at her nephews face had become a regular thing for her to do. After losing his nephew to the snap, she’d reminisce of her dearly departed by flipping through albums. She’d stare at Peter’s face, noting every detail and examining every curve on his face. It was the only thing that brought her any comfort. She remembers all the good memories with her nephew, holding him, loving him, raising him. All birthdays, holidays, awards, trophies, and science experiment. Though Ben was the one to mostly help with the science aspect of the boy’s life, May had lent a hand or two in her time. She remembers the smile on Peter’s face when he’d finish his projects or win an award at a science fair. There’s not enough gold in the world could buy his smile.

After her nephew returned, May had been over the moon to see him. She had stormed into the emergency camp, pushing past guards, fighting the front desk all to see her nephew. Seeing his face again had been unreal. It wasn’t like looking a picture like what she had done for many years. It was indescribable. To have been alive and to be around to see his face once again had been a blessing. She couldn’t have believed it. She spent weeks sleeping in her nephews room, afraid when she’d wake he’d be gone again and for all of it to be a dream. He never faded.

However the light in his eyes did.

May tried to ignore it at first. The was he looked, acted, talked. She didn’t want to see the empty boy sitting in front of her. She just wanted her Peter back and she had gotten him. All the nights when she imagined getting her nephew back and hearing him ramble on and on about school or Star Wars were possible now. Only the Peter she got back wasn't the Peter she recognized. He had changed. He always looked so haunted by the past, and frightened of the world outside. He hid in a shell that nobody could penetrate. He refused to leave his room, barely ate, suffered nightmares, and withdrew himself from life. Over time the boy looked dead inside as he chased the life he could never get back.

May tried everything to help him when she realized her nephew‘s depression as time went on. Group therapy and individual therapy seemed to be working. He grew better at socializing and sometimes would speak like his old self, going onto long tangents and then apologizing like his normal nerdy self. She felt so happy to have him back even if it was only a small part of him showing. She was so caught up in the fantasy, she didn’t look underneath the curtains. Her nephew was crumbling slowly and she didn’t see it.

_She didn’t want to see it._

Now he was gone again. Only this time he wasn’t dead because some alien snapped him out of existence. He had left on his own free will, packing a bag and left. He left behind his phone so it couldn’t be traced, taking his wallet and savings, swiping a few photos, and some clothing.

As May flipped through the photos, she thought of her nephew out in the real world. What she’d give to see him and hold him tightly. She’d listen to him, talk to him, make him open up.

It was like she lost him again.

May had been looking at photo of Peter during his kindergarten graduation when she heard a knock on the door. Her heart skipped a beat, briefly wondering if it was her nephew behind the door returning home to her. She set the book down and rushed towards the door incase it was, pulling the door open with hopeful eyes. She was crushed to find a man and woman standing at the door. The man wore a stoic expression, tan skin, cheap suit, salt and pepper hair slicked back, and cheesy dark sunglasses. The woman was more down to earth, wearing a normal work pants suit, light eyes, blonde hair tied back up in a bun, and a neutral expression.

“C-Can I help you?” May asked, wrapping her robe around her tightly trying to conceal her disappointment.

“Are you May Parker, legal guardian of Peter Parker and widow to the deceased Benjamin Parker?” May blinked, her expression tightening before nodding to confirm. Hearing her deceased husband's name pulled the rug right out from under her, bonking her on the head.

“Yes, what’s this about?”

“May we step inside? We have information that concerns your nephews whereabouts and we find it best to talk to you in private.”  

May’s eyes drifted upwards, feeling her hope rekindle as she let the two in, leading them to the living room to speak. Once sat down she asked the million dollar question, “Where’s Peter? Is he safe? Is he hurt? Is he-“ The concerned Aunt was cut off by a hand going up, silencing her.

“We are here on behalf of Shield,” Both visitors flashed her identification, “I’m Agent Cunningham and this is my partner Novak.” Novak, the woman in a blue suit raised her hand identifying herself. May glanced between each agent confused. She had never heard of Shield before, but apparently they knew where her nephew was.

“Unfortunately, we cannot give you your nephews exact coordinates since he’s currently working on a mission. It’ll be in his best interest for you not to know where he is. We can’t afford to risk the mission.”

“ _Excuse me?_ ” May glared at the two agents, her tone sharp and full of anger. “I don’t know who you are but my nephew isn’t one of your _agents_! You have no right to keep him from me!”

“I know this may be hard, but your nephew is the world's only hope. He agreed to this mission knowing full well what this meant.”

“ _He’s just a kid!_ ” May screamed. “He can’t make the decision to go on some stupid mission with you people!” To say the woman was furious was an understatement. She was fuming with anger that Shield was keeping her baby was from her! It was perposturious.

“This is illegal! You can’t keep my nephew away from me! I’m gonna call the police station and see what they have to say about this!” May moved to grab the phone but she was stopped by Agent Cunningham who blocked the phone with his body making a barrier between the two.

“Your nephew is a superhero Miss Parker. Call the police and you’ll have to tell them that your nephew is the vigilante that they want on a silver platter so badly.” Novak’s tone was stiff but firm. She knew that May would never put her nephew like that. It would only put the boy in danger.

“We’re just asking for your cooperation Miss Parker. We do not want to have to arrest you for competent but we will if you try to interfere.” The agents met May’s fiery glare. “We can assure you that your nephew is perfectly well. We found him on the streets wandering and Shield will make sure that the boy is well cared for until the mission is over.” Novak laid a gentle hand on the Aunt’s arm, only to have her pull away in anger. “Our boss has permitted five minute calls between the two of you if he wishes to make contact however we do ask that you do not inform Stark about this unless he realizes that we have a job to do and won’t interfere.”

May remained silent, deeming it best to keep her words to herself. She glared at the two suited monkeys, watching their annoyance bloom when the well aged Aunt didn’t outsay whether she agreed or not. Though they seemed to get the hint, backing away from the fuming aunt, their expression reserved.

“We’ll be in contact Miss Parker.” With that, the two agents rose from their spots, straightened their jackets, and left the house. Once May was sure they left, she let out a frustrated breathe, throwing her head in her hands feeling a migraine burn deep inside her brain.

 

* * *

 

 

Tony did not find Peter. He checked every subway and every payphone around however the kid was nowhere to be found. Gone before Tony even got there.

 

Afterwards the call left Tony glued by his phone 24/7, determined to be there if his intern called back. It was always in a pocket of his or in his hand, staying in reaching distance to ensure a speedy pickup.

Pepper grew increasingly worried for her husband, watching him dote on the phone although the day, unable to part with it without having a panic attack. To watch her husband get worse as days pass was awful to watch. She sent Morgan to stay with her parents for a bit just so she didn’t have to see her father like this. To spare her the image of her father breaking all over again. She tried to help, but she knew the bond the kid and Tony shared was too strong. Losing it took a great hit on the world’s mightiest avenger, but losing him twice was finally breaking him. No longer eating or sleeping and obsessing about being there for Pete was pushing him over the edge.

Strange and Rhodey were out searching but nothing, which did nothing but worry her husband even more. Without the kid, Tony would continue to act this way until he kills himself over it.

“I-I just need him to be safe, I need to know he’s okay even if it means I miss a few hours of sleep! I let him down so many times but I won’t this time,” Tony hold told her one day after Pepper begging his to take a break to care for himself. “I’ve got to be there.” It broke her heart, but nothing would make the mechanic move other than Peter coming here himself and telling him.

 

 

* * *

 

  


May knew she was gonna tell Stark. She didn’t give a rats ass about Shield. All she cared about was her nephew. She didn’t care of the boy joined the goddamn military while away, he was still a kid. Not some soldier these people can whisk away for their own benefits. She knew corrupt men when she sees it, she’s dated one before Ben for crying out loud. She didn’t trust them, but she knew Peter must’ve to got with them. Even after Thanos, the kid was still so trusting of people. It baffled her how her nephew always saw the good in people first. It’s one of his greatest strengths and weaknesses. She knew there were bad people out there trying to take advantage of Pete, her gut was hardly ever wrong about this sort of thing. She knew they’d play him like a violin before tossing him like a worn out prom dress.

Call it a hunch but these people, Shield, seemed very untrustworthy. She had to protect her nephew from this! It her job! She failed to do it before but she wouldn’t fail this time. Never again. Not if she could help it.

May had arrived at the Stark residence with her mind set. She wasn’t gonna let some government keep her away from her nephew. That’s where she draws the line with this whole hero business. She charged up to the front porch, ready to vent all her loaded anger, and knocked. She waited a few seconds before the door flew open, revealing a very disheveled Pepper.

“You look horrible,” Aunt May pointed out, some sadness in her voice.

“I’m fine. Tony’s just been having a hard time and I don’t think I’ve had a good sleep in years.” Pepper gave a small forced smile. “You shouldn’t have came. Tony isn’t really up for visitors so it might be kinda quiet.”

“I have news about Peter,” Aunt May blurted out.

Pepper immediately popped up, no longer leaning on the doorframe and slouching, suddenly fully alert.

 

“Come inside.”

 

* * *

 

  


“ _Oh my god._ ”

 

“Those bastards!” Tony shot up, infuriated. Pepper pressed her forehead into her hands, knowing there was no stopping her husband now. “I’m gonna hunt down that one eyed son of a bitch and kick him where the sun don’t shine,” Tony snarled.

“Get in line,” May muttered.

“Friday, make sure to add that asshat to the search!”

“ _Will do, Boss._ ”

“They told me Peter was their only hope,” May suddenly spoke up, “Peter would never have said no if he thought the world needed Spider-Man. It’s always just his responsibility, never anybody else’s. He’s so much like his Uncle Ben. Always doing the right thing no matter what.” Tony head lifted in surprise at the mention Pete’s Uncle. It was a subject that was touched upon only a few times, and about 99% of the time its Peter doing the storytelling. He didn’t know much about the man but he felt grateful he was there for Peter when he was a kid. That man raised the fine kid he knew today.

“I’ll find him May. I promised you that and I’m not gonna break it,” Tony stated firmly. May smiled, nodding, barely glancing up.

 

“I know Tony. I know.”

 

* * *

 

 

**_“Stark.”_ **

 

_Tony couldn’t breath as he walked through the rubble. His eyes trained on the titan before him, sitting down, weapon stuck in the grown, gaze on the ground. The madman he fought against, shed blood for, sat down in front of him. The sky was dark, and he was alone. No Thor or Cap by his side this time. Alone he was to face the all almighty Thanos, his curse._

**_“You won.”_ ** _Tony stared down at titan, legs weak, eyes petrified yet refused to show it. The hero stood his ground, though his heart shook. He couldn’t show the fear buried deep inside. “_ **_You could not live with your failure and it had brought you back to me.”_ **

_Thanos old eyes met Stark’s glaring ones, his expression sort of amusement yet filled with a deep bitterness. The emotions broiling underneath were hidden well with a calm facade. Only a fool would mistake his anger for calm._

**_“In all my years of conquest, violence, slaughter, it was never personal. I just wanted to bring balance to this world, to do what no other living being would dare to do. To save people from the fate my people had suffered all those years ago.”_ **

_Tony clenched his fist, feeling his eyes to be a little heavier than before. Though, determined not to show the titan any fear, he kept his expression blank and slowed his pace._ **_“I was the only one who knew what would happen to life in this world if it was left unchecked and I was the only one who with the will to act.”_ **

_Stark shook his head feeling sick to his stomach as he stared the mad man down. The words rang sirens in his head, never ending and very loud._

**_“See, you and I aren’t very different Stark. We both have the same goal. To save the universe from destruction. To protect it from what will come.”_ **

_“You’re wrong,” Stark shook his head, spitting fire, “ I’m nothing like you.”_

_Thanos chuckled, looking off in the distance at the destruction before him. His eyes scanning the battle field, for a moment thinking. About what would remain a mystery for the billionaire._ **_“You and I both saw the future. The destruction it causes. We were the only ones with the will to act on it.”_ ** _The images of his teammates laying dead, not being able to save them, Steve’s dying breath. The future he had saw with his own two eyes leading him to build Ultron._ **_“You weren’t the only one who was cursed with knowledge, Stark.”_ **

_Tony was now tip toeing around the titan, his eyes glued in fear. His very night terror sitting in front of him haunted his very core, shaking him up and killing him._

_“My only curse is you,” Stark whispered._

_Thanos stood, his hand laying on the double edged blades weapon, yanking it up._

**_“I carry a message for you, Stark, from the beyond. Consider it a warning from up above.”_ **

_Thano’s booming steps forward sent chills down the spine of the hero. His gaze remaining on Stark, back straight, eyes narrow._

**_“You’ve won. You’ve grown to be a father and learned from your past mistakes. With what you learned, you managed to reverse the damage done. For that, the universe applauds you.”_ ** _Tony could see his family, his daughter smiling perfectly in the arms of his loving wife. The life he built for himself after all the pain. His second chance standing there in front of him._ **_“Your work is done. No more battles that are left for you. You can do what I could not, retire to a peaceful life. To watch the sunrise with the family you’ve created. The ending you wished for is finally yours.”_ ** _Thanos watched the images of the family with a slight hint of grief, his loss still painful. The emotion passed briefly, turning cold as he laid a hand on the humans shoulder._

**_“Though every happy ending comes with a price.”_ **

_Tony could hear footsteps creek behind him, growing closer by the second. Each step growing warmer. The hero slowly shifted his body, turning his head around to see a little boy standing behind him. The boy wore an Iron Man mask, dark blue hoodie, white shirt, jeans, and ratty old sneakers._

**_“At the price of our triumph, we both paid a terrible fare.”_ **

_Tony wasn’t sure why his heart sank in dread or why this kid seemed strangely familiar. Something about him made Tony almost have a heart attack. Though the hero could hardly figure out why._

**_“For I lost the one thing I loved the most, my daughter.”_ ** _The child’s small hands lifted up, his small fingers latching onto the helmet he wore and pulling it off revealing his true face._

_Peter._

_The boy was Peter. His hair, eyes, nose, cheeks-they were all the same. Tony could hardly believe it._

**_“Now you will lose the one thing you loved the most. Your son.”_ **

_“Why’d you leave me Mister Stark?”_

_Tony bit his lip, knitting his brows, and frowning. Hearing the kid sound so innocent hurt. His desperate need for his approval made him want to pull the kid into a hug and hold him tightly._

_“Peter...”_

_“Why did you forget? Why didn’t you save me sooner? Why did you lie to me that things were gonna be alright?”_

_“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”_

_“I was scared. For five years I was alone, scared, hurt! I prayed for you to come and save me Mister Stark every day! You’re suppose to save people, why didn’t you save me?” Peter cried large tears, his eyes full of betrayal and anger. “Have you seen what I’ll_ **_become?”_ **

_The world went dark for a second._

_Footsteps echoed around him, growing louder by the second. The billionaire twisted around, his breath quickening._

_The first thing he saw was the bright orange pupils staring at him in the dark. He felt all the air left his body as suddenly the world lit up once again._

_An older recent version of Peter stood behind him, his face maskless and wearing a suit never before seen. His eyes dark, no longer the brown ones he knew but replaced with a bright orange color. His gaze full of such anger, pain, and hatred._

_“Peter?” Tony whispered, squinting his eyes to get a better look._

_Suddenly the boy’s hand flew upwards and Tony couldn’t breath. He could feel his insides squeezed together, crushing under the invisible weight of the boy’s hand. Everything burned within him, turning to charcoal. It was unlike any pain he felt before. It was much more sadistic, painful, and horrifying than anything he’s experienced before._

_“P-Peter..?” Tony choked._

_”I won't let you or anybody hurt me ever again,” Peter seethed. “You tried to hold me back, but now I have a purpose. Let me show you what I’m made of!” Unable to stand any further, he collapsed. His world went blurry, seeing double now. He could he hear his breath slow down, grow lighter by every breath he took._

_“You can’t stop me.”_

_The last thing Tony could see was the bright light in his wards eyes watching him suffer without remorse before everything went black._

 

“PETER!” Tony’s head shot up, sweat beading down his forehead. His head pounded on his chest as he held his chest searching for the pain he felt only a moment again.  

“Tony?” Pepper walked into the small lab, looking at him with concern written all over his face.

“I-I-Thanos-Peter-“ Pepper looked at him with pity, now standing beside the chair to rub soothing circles around the man’s back.

“It’s okay Tony…”

Tony didn’t say anything, just watched his chest rise in disbelief and fearful of what he had gone through not only moments ago.

 

**_“This is the end.”_ **

 

* * *

 

Lake wasn’t easy to catch off guard. She had seen many dead bodies in her days. All of them ranging from natural to gory homicides. So surprise wasn’t something she was expecting to feel when she had been in charge of doing the autopsy on a John Doe who was found in the alleyway dead.

“Cause of death…,” The Warner faded, unsure of what to say, “...unknown.” The man was perfectly healthy. In no way should he be dead, he passed a health test with flying colors. Now he was dead, with no signs of foul play or natural causes. It was strange to say the least. She turned off her microphone and recorder, sighing.

“What happened to you?” She asked aloud, scanning the body. She stepped down, her face dull as she put away the body. In her gut, she knew something had happened to the man. However scientific evidence said nothing to support her. Though judging by the lack of pants when they brought him, she knew something went down the night he died. So she picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

 

“ _Agent Watts,_ _Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming Next: Peter meets Mister Beck, and things begin to simmer.


	9. F.E.A.R

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fear has two meanings.
> 
> Forget Everything And Run
> 
> Or 
> 
> Face Everything And Rise.

Peter crossed his arms, unsure of what to do as he as he stood in the center of an underground base. The hero wasn’t aware of another person until he heard Fury introduce,

“This is Mister Beck.” 

Peter stared at the man, taking in the gold and green suit. It was a cool color mixture, and made the man even more intimidating. Unsure of what to do, he waved and let out an uneasy laugh. 

“You can call me Quentin,” Mister Beck spoke up, his tone professional and stance tall. “Mister Beck is a bit too formal.” Peter stared in awe as the man held out his hand, showing peace. The kid hesitantly took the older man’s hand, shaking it firmly. 

“I-I’m Peter! Peter Parker,” He forced out, taking his hand back quickly uncomfortable with the amount of touching. “I know. I saw your file. Enhanced human who calls themselves Spider-Man and saves the day on basically a daily basis. We could use someone like you in my world.”

“I’m sorry,” Peter stared at the older adults in confusion waiting clarification, “ _ your world? _ ” 

“Mister Beck is from earth,” Fury walked behind the webslinger, “just not ours.” Peter jumped, watching the man walk before returning his gaze on Beck. “There are multiple realities Peter. This is just one of many. I’m from earth 813. We share identical constants, level force senmentry.”

“Wait. You’re saying there’s a multiverse?” Peter stepped forward, a grin plastered on his face, his eyes glowing with excitement at the thought. “I just thought that was theoretical! That completely changes how the intel singularity! That’s insa-“ Peter looked back at Hill and Fury who looked completely lost and unamused. His excitement came to a screeching halt, his smile faltering. 

“S-Sorry,” He sheepishly apologized.

“Anyways,” Fury announced, ignoring the nervous banter from Peter, “the snap tore a rip in our universe. Stuff from other universes are leaking in.”

Peter glanced at the director, nervous. “Other stuff?” 

“Yes. I’m one of the many to fall through the tears along with...other things,” Beck cleared up. “I’m guessing not all of it is good?” Hill nodded, giving him a thumbs up. The kid took that for his answer and didn't ask any more questions. 

“Not only is the tear bringing other things from other universes, it’s throwing our universe off balance. The stones are what kept it balanced, with them gone we got nothing protecting our earth from collapsing.” 

_ This sounds like an Avenger level situation _ , Peter thought to himself before quickly reminding himself,  _ there are no Avengers to take care of it _ . He felt worry overcome him as he thought about his Aunt. If the universe collapses, then she dies with dozens of other people including himself. He couldn’t let her die. He had to protect her, it was the only thing he couldn’t afford to fail. 

“How much time?” Peter asked. 

“730 hours and counting till the universe collapses,” Hill spoke up, glancing between the two heroes, her expression unreadable. “Okay, what's the plan? How do we win this?” Peter tensed up, finding being on time limit stressful. 

The crew remained silent, nobody even looking the teen in the eye. Some with shame, others held pity. 

Then Peter realized there was no plan. 

There was no way to ensure everyone gets out alive. His mind began to spiral into an endless panic. He thought of his last battle where there was no plan. There was no insurance. There was only their courage and heroism. 

_ There is no hope.  _

This world needed him to fight, they needed Spider-Man. He was supposed to bring hope to the people below but he keeps failing to do that over and over again. Time after time he keeps failing, nothing he was doing worked. 

“Great…”

“Mister Parker-“ Fury was cut off premature from his sentence by Peter, use scoffed. “This is a wild goose chase. There’s no winning against the freaking universe! I should have known!” The teen turned his back, and began to storm off. He heard the anguish sighs but he couldn’t process it. 

The world was gonna end and he needed a drink.

 

* * *

 

Peter sat at a bar, staring down at the glass of orange juice in his hand, moping about what to come. A month to save his world, a mission he was bound to fail. He thought of all that happened to him, the alleyway where he failed himself. Now he was gonna do the same to billions of people. All because he wasn’t strong enough. He didn’t deserve the title of hero. He deserved nothing.

“Long night, huh? First get dragged halfway across the world then gets told the world is ending. Not exactly how I’d dream my vacation away from home would be.” 

Peter glanced up at the sound of Beck’s voice. He watched the man take a seat beside him, ordering himself a glass of beer. “How’d you find me?” Peter asked, shrinking in his seat in embarrassment. 

“I could smell the teen angst coming off of you for miles,” Beck teased lightly. 

The incredulous teen stared at the foreigner, unsure of how he could joke at a time like this. To be so easy when the world was in danger. 

_ He was once like that. _

Then life came in the form of giant purple dick that taught him how to lose. Now he saw that he wasn’t invincible. Being an enhanced human wasn’t enough to save the world. He still could fall like any other human in the world and face the same consequences. 

“How can you be so calm when you’re stuck in another universe that’s gonna disappear in a week with you in it with no plan to save it?” Peter asked wholeheartedly, circling his finger around the top of his cup defeated.

“What do you want Peter?” Beck suddenly asked abruptly. 

“I want things to go back to the way they were. I’m just a kid and I’m not ready for this....” Peter’s finger tranced the edges of his glass cup, feeling the smoothness along it. He couldn’t bring himself to look at the other hero’s disappointment. He couldn't face anybody. 

If Ben could see him now. His loser nephew was running away from his problems again. He’d be so disappointed. 

“You’re right,” Beck nodded, “You may not be ready, but this is my responsibility.” Peter hated the crushing weight responsibly had on him. It broke him down, left him lying bloody and bruised. “It’s my job to save the world even if I’m afraid. Sacrifices have to be made, kid. Hero’s have to make them for the greater good,” A dark shadow fell over Peter’s eyes, “Sometimes people will die and you’ll lose things. You can’t stop it.” Peter’s gaze fell dark, a shadow casting over his eyes. “As long as there’s evil in the world, there will always be a sacrifice.” The words resonate deep in his heart, wrapping him around in a tight hold, squeezing him until he suffocated. 

“Well, it’s late. We aren’t going to get anything done tonight. Let’s head back, tomorrow we’ve got a big day ahead of us.“

Peter nodded, picking himself up slowly, his mind still focused on the words he was told it was a riddle in need of solving.

_ “As long as there’s evil in this world, there will always be a sacrifice.”  _

These words meant something to him, and dug deep into his core, releasing a virus inside of him, infecting him with words.

The two walked out of the small bar, shoulder to shoulder when Peter felt a strange compel to look across the street. There he saw a familiar floating figure watching, hovering in the middle of foot traffic, just starting over at him. 

“You okay?” Beck asked.

“Y-Yeah…” Peter looked at the other hero. “Just a little on edge I guess...” The hero kept walking, ignoring the floating figure and ignoring the painful memories it brought with it as much as he can.

“ _ You’re in danger. _ ” Peter stumbles backwards when the floating figure appears in front of him, nearly bumping into him. Beck didn’t seem to notice and kept walking. 

_ “You can’t trust anything,”  _ The figure went on despite Peter pushing past him, pushing him to the side.  _ “Please listen-“  _

Peter refused to listen, snapping, “Leave me alone!” By the time the kid look back, the figure was magically gone. 

“What?” Beck asked.

“N-Nothing!” Peter squeaked, his eyes wide. Beck gave him a strange look but ended up ignoring it. They kept walking in quiet, leaving Peter to wonder what floating man was warning him about.

 

* * *

 

“Smart idea bringing a highly unstable emotional teen with us huh?” Hill asked, peering over at the unconscious teenager. Her eyes full of amusement but the rest of her solid. 

“Technically that kid is twenty one,” Fury pointed out, flipping through data collected. 

“If that helps you sleep at night.” Hill smiled, taking her eyes off her boss for a moment to pick up a package. She tossed it on the table saying, “The lab says Merry Christmas.” 

Fury examined the box, taking a moment to examine the dark plastic case before unhinging the latches and opening it. 

“It’s the reader you asked for. They managed to complete it early. It’s designed to pick up on specific infinity energy now.” Fury picked up the small device, rubbing his finger against the cool metal. His finger trailed down the side before it reached the on button. He pressed it and listened as the machine turned on. 

He walked around impressed, noting to himself to give the creator’s a raise. He was about to switch it off when he passed Peter’s cot and the small arrow on the device suddenly flew towards the red. Hill looked up, surprised. 

“The lab said it still has some kinks,” Hill shrugged off. 

Fury glanced at the sleeping teen, watching him breath in and out before watching the device go haywire. 

“Boss?” Hill glanced between her boss and the machine, put off by his serious glare.

“ _ Yeah… _ ” Fury prolonged the ah part, his mind elsewhere for a moment. “Just a kink,” The director muttered suspiciously, shutting the device off. 

 

* * *

 

Strange felt frustrated.

 

In all his time being a sorcerer, never had he thrown a chair against the wall in frustration. He was usually well formed, barely showcased his emotions. However this situation managed to crawl under his skin.

Locating the kid proved to be tricky. He somehow managed to mask him from his magic. He was in no way traceable. He spent hours searching and slaving over books trying to find a spell that’d make him scream hallelujah. However he failed to hit a lead. To make matters complicated, Stark wasn’t speaking to him especially after he delivered the news of his precious wards disappearance. The man built his walls and made damn sure Steven was on the other side. After all he was dragged through, Stark still didn’t show trust in him. Though he didn’t quite blame him. 

_ “I underestimated him. He’s no longer just a nuisance, he’s becoming one of the universe's biggest threats.” _

_ “You’re wrong. Pete’s the lightest shade of vanilla cream I’ve ever seen.” _

There conversation after that was when it all went wrong.

Strange, as usual, confronted Tony headfirst with his findings. He spouted the truth with no cushion to the distressed man, ignoring his horrible appearance. 

_ “That boy is gonna be the death of us all!” Strange has all but yelled at the man, trying to make his point clear.  _

_ “You may be too naive to see it but he’s already become an alpha level threat! Soon he’ll become way past our resources…” It was blunt but Strange wouldn’t do it any other way. “I don’t want another Thanos threat so soon after the first one or preferably ever.”  _

_ Stark clenched his teeth, gritting them at the mention of the titan. It was common knowledge to never speak of Thanos around the retired hero but frankly Strange thought higher of him. The billionaire wasn’t a child, he was well loved hero. He deserved more than to be walked around on eggshells on. He needs a dose of reality in the situation. This wasn’t some game that when they find Peter this will be all over. As long as his power kept growing, there will always be a price of the purple bastard taunting them. _

_ “If you compare my kid to that monster again I swear to god I’ll blast your ass back to 2018,” Stark threatened in low growl, warning the wizard to back down or else they’ll be trouble. _

_ “Try me,” Strange fires back, standing in his spot.  _

_ Stark nodded, knuckles white from clenching his fist too hard, and gritted teeth from effort to remain silent, his hunched form forcing an animosity that was like acid - burning, slicing, vigorous. His face was red with suppressed rage, and just when Strange began to believe the man was gonna contain himself, he swung around and mentally snapped.  _

_ A hot punch knocked the wizard back a few steps, grabbing onto his throbbing cheek. Though initially taken off guard, he wasn’t surprised at the act of violence. He was told that he was a very frustrating human.  _

_ “Feel better yet?” Strange asked, spitting out blood. _

_ “Just a little,” The billionaire shrugged, shaking off his hand.  _

_ “You know deep down I’m right.” _

_ “And deep down I don’t give a shit about what you think,” Stark snapped. His anger simmering dangerously.  _

_ “I guess it’s too much to ask for you to contact me if you find him?”  _

_ “Get out.”  _

 

Strange tried and reason wasn’t getting him anywhere. He was still stuck in box one waiting for a tip. He grew desperate. Despite his gut telling him not to, the billionaire left him no choice. He bugged the Stark residence with spells that’d let him know if anything important to his search comes up. For a while it was just a big load of nothing. 

 

Until right now.

 

“ _ Two agents came and told me Shield had my baby. They’re using him Tony. I don’t know why but they are.” _

 

Shield. He knew them. The director, Nick Fury, had visited him. Something about need his help. However he made clear that he wanted nothing to do with the problematic agency. He threw them out as fast as they came in. Now they had Peter. This was a lead. The first one he had and it practically pointed with a big red hand where the kid was. Find Fury, find the kid. Now that wouldn’t be too hard. He just needs to track down a one eyed man who would probably kill him if he approached. He needs something that belonged to the man like a hair (good luck with that) or a personal item. 

“Or you could just call. He left you his number,” Wong walked into the room, past him, eating a tuna sandwich and wearing headphones. 

“I told you not to read my mind anymore!” 

“Then don’t exert your thoughts for every sorcerer in this universe to hear.”

Strange groaned, face palming, suddenly wondering why he even bothered. He could hear the other man laugh which reminded him to throw up his mental barriers.


	10. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a battle gone wrong, Peter finds a clue about what’s really going on and makes a new friend in the process.

The days leading were bland. 

 

No new ideas emerged from the urgency of the situation. They were stuck in a never ending cycle of blankness. Nobody knew how to save the universe from eternal doom. 

Beck had left the base momentarily to grab some food when things took a turn. The last of the remaining small group were on their last straws when Fury’s and Hill’s buzzers went off. They rushed to the computers, pulling up footage that knocked Peter out of his socks. 

 

“ _ Hydron is back at it again! This time it seems the water creature is attacking Ve-oH MY GOD! RUN!” The reporter ran as the live camera was wiped away by a giant fist of water, washing away the camera cutting the feed. _

 

Peter felt his blood run cold, his body froze as he watched the dozens of reports play on the screen. His legs felt glued to the ground as he watched helplessly.

“Go!” Hill ordered, throwing him a large case. 

The kid barely managed to catch the case, his eyes full of hesitation as he looked down at it. He opened it to reveal a new suit hidden underneath. This one replaced the bright suit he once wore with a darker spy scheme. It looked cool yet somewhat ridiculous. He ran his finger down the threads, his mind racing with doubt. 

 

_ Spider-Man hurt people _ . 

 

Peter breath hitch as his finger slid over the spider emblem on the chest. A part of him wanted to run away like any other coward. God he just wanted his legs to move as far away as possible. However he couldn’t. He couldn’t run. Deep down he knew that he couldn’t let the innocent suffer for his mistakes. 

“ _ It’s my job to save the world even if I’m afraid. Sacrifices have to be made, kid. Hero’s have to make them for the greater good. _ ”

This was his sacrifice to the world. Giving up the parts that make him human to protect others. Peter wished he didn’t have the sense of responsibility that was burned into him. He wished he could be like most other people and walk away without the guilt of being selfish.  _ He wished the sacrifice wasn’t his to make. _ However the world seemed to love making him suffer. No matter how much he wished, he always had his responsibility and selfishness. Because of that, he could never walk away.

He could only walk towards it. Like his Uncle all those years ago.

“What are you waiting for?! Go!” Fury ordered.

Peter looked back up at the two agents who were on computers, both of their eyes hardened by the serious tone. He took a deep breath and clutching the fabric tightly in between his sensitive fingers. His eyes setting, telling the people around him he made his choice.

 

 

* * *

 

 

People were screaming, children clinging to their mothers, cars screeching. Nothing was more evident though as the giant water man spouting out of the river. 

Spider-Man had landed on a building nearby, fully suited and watched the water sprayed. His arms felt like weights in the new suit, the fabric felt like sandpaper against his skin. It felt wrong to wear this suit. It wasn’t anything like Stark’s, it felt so cold and empty. He was walking through cement as he walked closer to the danger ahead. His mind was an unstoppable race car zooming through the streets. 

“Is that a bird?!”

“No it’s an airplane!”

“No, it’s a  _ person _ !”

Peter could feel people's eyes land on him. He didn’t dare to move. He didn't even dare to breath. He was just frozen. His heart pounding in my chest...duh-duhn, duh-duhn. The hairs on his arms stand to attention, as a militia of chills march down his spine.

_ Do something Peter! Do something! _

It felt like a movie, the world slows down, everything begins to clear up, dozens of people were wiped away, pulling him back to reality as he jumped. He spouted webs, chasing after the dozens of people, one by one, helping them to safety. He felt his adrenaline pour as he caught person after person. It went by so fast that it felt like a blink of an eye.

Once he insures civilians were a safe distance, he landed on another roof and turned to the ginormous puddle of water. He froze when the monster turned towards him, eyeing him down. 

In a moment of quick thinking, he tried to jump up and land a punch across the water monsters face. If he could wash away dozens of people, the teen figured the bad guy probably had some sort of material form. However, to his dismay, he went straight threw the man. He rolled onto the roof, now soaking wet with a very angry giant water man glaring at him. Peter whipped his head around, glaring right back up at him, his intense gaze shaking. He felt a familiar boiling under his skin. It started off as a simmer before rising to a boil. A strange flood of emotions now began to overwhelm him.

_ “Y-You freak!” _

_ “I’ll show you what a real bad guy looks like.” _

Peter’s eyes flickered a fiery red, his body rising again to attack. In the moment, his footsteps were longer and stride as he broke into a sprint towards Hydron, his body in a spurt of power. His skull buzzed but it was far too late since the kid jumped off the roof to attack. In midair, he was smacked with tons of water, nearly wiping him away if it weren’t for the bridge walls catching him. 

Peter’s eyes snapped back to normal as he caught himself.

**_“Stop.”_ **

Suddenly Peter’s arms were strapped to his side by an invisible force, forcing his whole body to go still. He couldn’t move anything, not even a single toe. He was just frozen once again after the involuntary spasm he went through. The teen’s face screwed into confusion and fear at the loud threatening voice. His eyes scanning the area around him trying to locate where it came from. 

“ _ What?”  _

**_“Watch.”_ **

Peter looked up at water man, feeling his heart skip a beat. He couldn’t see anything but a bad guy destroying Venice. He shook his mind, not able to see what the voice was talking about it. However he didn’t get to dwell on it for long. A cloud of green fog suddenly knocked the water man back. In the green fog was none other then Beck. He attacked the creature, using his powers to hurt Hydron.

**_“Trust nothing, my child. Reality is nothing but an illusion.”_ **

He watched as the older hero cornered the monster, forcing him to back down. Peter watched in awe, his eyes trailing the green fog that Beck road so heroically. Eventually Hydron retreated back into the water leaving the people alone for now. 

The presence of the voice was now gone, no longer wrapped around him like a tight python. It freed him, releasing him from its foriegn touch. It was a phenomenon he couldn’t explain. 

The crowd of people cheered for Beck, clapping and shouting praises for the hero. The sound of cameras clicking away brought him back from the daze he sat in.

_ Well that fight went awful. _

Peter was completely useless and saved by a man with a fishbowl helmet. Not that he had anything against Beck. He just should’ve fought better, harder. It made him want to hit himself. Beck landed on the group appearing exhausted, his gaze briefly meeting the teens before the cameras. 

Unable to stop himself from tearing up, he webbed off, no longer able to stand being there. 

 

* * *

 

“Whatever happened out there was horrible! My grandma would have fought better than you and she’s dead!” Fury exclaimed, glaring down the teen.

Peter just sat on the box, soaked and still wearing the suit. His gaze refused to meet the older adult. Like a child, he held his head down and allowed himself to be yelled at. 

Old habits die hard.

“I thought you were Spider-Man! You’ve fought villains before! What’s so different now, huh? Have you stopped caring? Is that it?!” Peter shook his head, biting his lip and stapling his tongue.  

“Look at me when I talk to you! This isn’t Stark’s house and this sure ain’t your aunts! You look at me in my eye and answer my question!” 

Hill shot him an apologetic look, but said nothing. Peter raised his chin, looking up at the director with puffy red eyes.

“I-I’m sorry,” Was all he could say. “I’m s-so sorry.”

“You can say sorry all you want but sorry does nothing. It doesn’t magically wipe away every mistake you make today!” 

Peter looked away, ashamed of himself. He couldn’t form a single thought or word. He could only listen to the angry words of the man in front of him.

“You’re not a little boy anymore, you’re a man now! Suck up that pout and fix your mistake!” 

Fury walked away, his anger seething, leaving the kid sitting on the box. The teen’s bottom lip trembled aggressively, feeling the waterworks come. 

“I think you did alright,” Hill suddenly voiced in. “You prevented casualties which is far more important.” Peter shook his head, ignoring the compliment, unable to bare it. Fury was right. He made a mistake. Whimpering like a baby wasn’t gonna fix that.

Like what Mister Stark said, sorry doesn’t cut it. Not anymore.

He had to fix. 

“Fury is pissed off, but he means well. He knows you did good and so do we.” 

Peter wiped his eyes, determined not to cry. He inhaled his tears and looked up at them. 

“He’s right. Being a baby isn’t gonna solve anything,” He announced numbly, ignoring the concerned gaze, he stood up and left.

 

* * *

 

Peter stared at the stars, wondering what it would be like to touch them. To feel their brightness touch his skin, and see their beauty. 

The teen clutched the phone in his hands, wondering if it were for the best if he called. He need guidance. He needs help. The only people he knew to give it were dozens of miles away.

Peter breathed, looking down at the phone and dialed. He held the phone up to his ear and listened to it ring.

“ _ This is not the number you’re looking for. Hang up and try again (“You can’t just end it like that Ned!” “Come on Peter, it won’t sound cool if I say anything else after!”) Beeeeeeep. _ ” 

Peter lowered his phone, beaten by the sound of the old voicemail. He woefully smiled at the memory of the hours spent trying to come up with the perfect voicemail. Hours wasted trying to improvise and energy wasted. Eventually they ended up picking this one in the end since it was the best recorded of them all. He shut the phone, finding the world to feel awfully large all of a sudden.

Suddenly with the grace of a dancer, a fully suited Mysterio floated up in front of him. It reminded of Strange and all his floating magic. Clearly their skill was far more than he could compete with.

“Fury asked me to come up here and see how you’re doing, he felt bad for snapping at you..”

“Really?” Peter looked up at the hero, his eyes widening like a child on Christmas, so full of hope and desperation for an approval.

“You guys do have sarcasm on this earth, right?” Peter let out a breathy laugh, his head falling. It was stupid to hope that Fury wasn’t mad at him. He failed him just like he did everyone else.

An endless cycle of disappointment and failure. 

“How are you feeling?”

Peter looked up at Beck, staring at the place where his eyes would be from behind the glass dome on his head. 

“I didn’t think I’d have to save the world after...everything,” Peter confessed, “I know that makes me sound like such a jerk but I lost everything I cared for. My family and friends changed, and I’m kinda just stuck here. It’s like I missed my whole life, which is crazy because I only lost five years. I’m lucky that I still had my Aunt here and I should feel grateful. However I can’t shake this feeling, it’s weird. I guess I’m just scared that when I came back I didn’t just lose my life, I lost myself too.”

Beck lowered himself beside the troubled youth, taking a seat beside him and had his helmet dematerialise. He faced Peter, looking over at his troubled friend.

“I like you Peter. You’re a good kid.” Peter looked up at the man, watching the complex expression unfold on the hero’s face. “Part of me wants to tell you to turn around and run away from all this,” Beck gestured to the sky, shaking his head, “and there’s another part of me that knows what we’re about to fight.” The older man looked at him again, his eyes a bit distant yet full of belief in the young teen.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Beck watched with understanding as the teen began to bury himself in shame. “I can see you’re lost. From day one, I could see the pain you’re holding Pete, and I’m not gonna lie, it kinda worries me.” Peters masked faltered, shattering to pieces before the older role models eyes, revealing the true emotion behind the spider mask he wore. He looked tired, his body slumped and defeated, his face a mess.

“I know you’re hurting and I wish I could help but that’s your choice. I won’t ever take away your free will to choose for yourself. So if you tell me you’re okay, then I’ll believe you.”

Peter bit his tongue, feeling his walls burning faster than Pompeii. Crumbling before his very touch, falling at his feet. The walls kept tumbling down, until nothing but dust and ashes was left.

“I-I’m…” The word  _ ‘okay’  _ faltered in his head, leaving him with nothing to pick himself up with. He dug his nails deep into his skin, trying to overcome the sudden wave of anxiety rush him. 

“I’m sorry,” He whispered instinctively, his defense mechanism coming to play. 

“It’s okay.“

“No, it’s not,” Peter shook his head, “I hurt somebody. They were robbing a store and I...I lost control. I could’ve k-killed him but they were saying all these things-” 

“You were doing what you had to. Nobody blames you for that.” 

“I do,” Peter replied distantly, “I blame me. I did the one thing I swore not to do.” Beck fell silent, letting the teenager have a moment to speak freely. “ _ I should’ve been better. _ ” He knew it was better to let the kid speak than to stop him.

When there was no response, Peter wiped his wet eyes, shoving his emotions into a box and locking them in the closet.

“Things are happening to me and I’m scared. I-I can’t control myself. The people I love keep getting hurt because of it.” 

“Does that have to do with the little light show in your eyes?” 

“What?” Peter spun around defensively. “How did you-“

“During the fight your eyes...they were a different color. They were red,” Beck explained carefully, treading on ice. The teen fell silent, his eyes falling on the city below, wondering how the New York lights looked at the moment. He hadn’t seen them in five years. Were they still as beautiful as when he first saw them?

“I-I don't know what’s wrong with me,” Peter told him, “it’s like there’s something inside of me, something powerful living. It scares me.” 

“Do you know how…?”

“Kinda…” Beck gave the teen a blank stare, eating for the kid to go one. “I had a vision.” The older man nodded in understanding, his eyes lighting up. 

“I’m sorry this is all happening to you,” Beck told him. To the teens suprise, there was no pity in his voice. Just understanding and support.

When Peter didn’t say anything else the older hero seem to catch on saying, “There’s something else, isn’t there?” 

Peter bit his lip,finding his feet fare more fascinating than the world around him. His body refusing to form words as the bitter memory rises along with bile. His dark eyes filling with hesitant tears. 

“I was attacked,” Peter spat out, feeling a new gate get sprung open, one full of more burden and pain that was supposed to die with him. However he couldn’t hold it any longer. The pain was eating him alive, chewing him up slowly. He needed to speak to someone desperately, unable to trap it underneath the rubble of his sins. “B-Before Mister Fury found me...I was attacked,” He specified, looking down at his lap like a child, picking at nails, completely new to this foreign feelings, “I-I should’ve protected myself. I’m Spider-Man, I’m supposed to take down the bad people, not the other way around. B-But I just froze. I-I don’t remember much, I had b-blacked out.” Peter scoffed at the memory and the dozens of things he could’ve done to save himself. He could’ve fought, screamed, ran-but instead he froze like a deer in headlights. 

“I just remember how he reeked of old alcohol and cigarettes and the way his voice sounded. I-I tried to forget but I never did. No matter how much I tried, I could never forget.” 

“Attacked...” Beck eyes flashed with realization, “You were raped.” 

The word felt so wrong. It was like venom to him, it burned and stung him. It was almost unbelievable. Hearing it out loud hurt. His heart banged against his rib cage, tearing itself apart as he listened. 

Yet it also felt like a huge relief onto his body, like the words got rid of the burden within. Like a balloon floating away.

“He didn’t get that far,” Peter whispered. 

“God, I’m so sorry,” Beck told him, his eyes widen with a melancholy glint.

“Don’t be. It was my fault. I could’ve fought him off but I was too weak-“ 

“This isn’t your fault Peter. None of it is. Only the sick bastard who did it,” Beck cut him off, pulling him back from the dark gloomy clouds around. For a moment, Peter felt okay. His thunderclouds began to clear, letting him see the light briefly.

“I’m supposed to be a hero. Heroes can’t be the victims,” The kid argued weakly.

“You’re human Pete before anything. Humans can get hurt. Humans can feel pain. Don’t you forget that.” 

Peter silently bowed his head, looking back at the lights. He watched them flicker and wave across the quiet town. Beside him, Beck looked out, watching what the boy watched, his face morphed into a complex expression while the teen’s was just melancholy. 

 

Nobody dared to speak after that, and Peter was glad for that.

 

Sometimes the quiet was okay. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was kinda hesitant about this chapter because of the angst but this is technically a ‘villain’ origin story so like why not.   
> Also Peter finally opened up about his pain to Beck. I’ve been meaning to write that but always postpone because I wanted to find the right moment and I think I did. Hope it isn’t horrible. 
> 
> Anyways thanks for reading!


	11. Consequences of Life

“Have you ever tried controlling your powers?” 

 

Beck asked over lunch as he bit into his tuna sandwich. The teen choked on air, flabbergasted. 

Peter barley wanted to acknowledge what was inside of him let alone purposely use it. It scared him. The thought of him having control was odd. 

“You can’t control freaking space rocks,” Peter replied in a hushed yet stiff tone. 

“You’ve used their power before, right?” The teen hesitantly nodded. “Then try doing it again, but this time try to control it!” 

“Last time I did it, I nearly killed a man. If I mess up again, who’s to say I won’t do it this time?” Peter’s voice was snip and cold.

“Not controlling them is far more dangerous,” Beck pointed out, stuffing another piece of his sandwich into his mouth. 

Peter opened his mouth to reply but faltered when he couldn’t come up with a comeback. The teen fell silent, his mind lingering on the words of his friend.

 

* * *

 

“We’re running out of time. We need a plan,” Hill announced to the crew, “Now Fury was called to some side business so it’s just us.” 

Beck and Peter glanced at each other before back at Hill who watched them intently as if she expected one of them to start coming up with a plan on the spot. 

“No offense but universal tears isn’t exactly my expertise. There isn’t exactly a class that teaches that,” Beck told the agent, his voice distant. 

Peter shoved his hands under his legs, his eyes shifting between the two like a child would, picking up on the strange tension. 

“Peter?” Hill turned to face the teen, her eyes desperate. 

“Well, uh, I-I watched a movie once were they opened p-portals into different universes,” Peter switched glances bet ween the older audience watching their facial expression as he made bizarre hand gestures as he nervously explaine d his lane of thinking, “I-In the movie, t-they built a particle accelerator t-to open the portals. I remember because they were wicked and totally didn’t make sense in the eyes of science  at all! My friend N-Ned and I both thought it was pretty unrealistic on how they were able to build a portal underneath-“

“Peter! What is your point?”  

“Oh!” Peter snapped out of his ramble, blushing. “I-I was gonna say that what if we build our own particle accelerator?”

“That’s a nice thought Peter,  but we’re trying to close tears not make them.” 

“I-I know! But if we can o-open portals on the other side, then w ho’s to say we can’t close them too? Mister Stark built a time machine, maybe if I modify his design and physics maybe we can make a particle accelerator that can close tears instead of make them!”

“That’s a big risk,” Beck suddenly spoke up, his voice stiff, “Especially for a science that is more fiction than actual science. No offense Pete.” 

Peter waved it off nervously, watching distant look on the man’s face. He could understand the man’s hesitance, this plan was far fetched and unbelievable considering it was sparked by a movie for god sake. Plus his ideas were always terrible and ended in pain of some sort.

“Wait, I think he’s onto something,” Hill interrupted.

“I am?” Peter asked in disbelief.

“Yes! Particle Accelerators aren’t totally in the realm of science fiction. It’s feasible. I’ve seen a few accelerators in my lifetime, so one that can open tears into other worlds isn't impossible.” 

Peter blinked, clearly not expecting what he was hearing. He just thought his idea would be brushed off and sent into the stupid dumb ideas pile. 

“But if it doesn’t work, d-dozens of people will perish,” Beck stated forcefully. His tone seeming a bit off and sending subtle red flags to the Shield Agent.

“It’s better than doing nothing.” Hill gave the man a firm look, telling him that her mind was made up. A dark look briefly washed upon the older hero’s face and for a second, Peter could swear he was looking at a whole different man. 

“Do you think you can build it Peter?” 

“I-I,” Peter stuttered, fearful of the responsibility, “-I’m not Tony Stark! I-I can’t just crack the secret of dimension hopping in a day! This would take years of research a-and testing-“ 

“Well, we don’t have years kid. I need to know now if you can do this.” 

Peter was shocked. The responsibility of the world on his shoulder already hurt his back but carrying the fate of it would break it. A kid being the only key to the world's survival was gut wrenching. However the world was desperate. They needed him again, they needed his brain. Unfortunately his brain wasn’t really anything, or at least that’s what Flash keeps telling him.  _ Kept  _ his mind corrected him.

 

“I-I’m gonna need a whole lot of coffee.”

 

 

* * *

  
  


Peter hadn’t slept in days. 

 

For the most part, it was due to the fact he was trying to crack the key to particle accelerators in a few days. His only source of help was a shit ton of google searches and a few ratty old physics textbooks. His eyes felt heavy and his body was slumped as he stared at the arias text on the page in front of him, scribbling some notes. 

Though there was another factor to it.

While working exhaustively, he was also plagued by the fear of dreaming. It was like a curse that was forced onto him. Everytime he slept, he dreamed. His dreams were always strange and unexplainable, scaring him every night. 

So Peter stayed awake and now he had an excuse. 

The teens exhausted form shifted, turning to look at the passed out figure of his friend. Beck’s face was buried in book, drooling as he dreamed about whatever one does after reading a massive science textbook. He assumed it was good since the man didn’t seem to be under any stress.

Peter turned to look at Hill. Her trained eyes watched her computer look like a hawk. She didn’t even look away when the teens eyes landed on the back of her head. 

The sight had become a usual. With time ticking, sleep had became an uninvited guest. The crew worked tirelessly for hopefully a good outcome. Peter couldn’t lie, the crew had grew on him like how the Avengers did once to him. Like a second family that lived underground in the sewers. He felt safe with them. They gave him back what the Avengers did once. A family. Including Fury despite it all. Hill had became like an older sister he never really wanted. Beck was something different. He wasn’t exactly what Mister Stark was to him. Nothing could replace what Stark was to him. It was just Beck was different. He wasn’t clinging onto Peter to make himself feel better. He didn’t see him as some sort of support kid as he once was with Stark. He didn’t need rasing. Beck was just there because he was. He didn’t have ropes tying him down to him. He saw Peter as his own man, yet still acknowledges the kid inside of him. He was the one person in this whole time of being back that made him feel whole. Like he wasn’t some broken forgotten kid again. He felt like he could actually stand on his two feet now with him helping him. He didn’t feel the depression as deep as he did before meeting him. Beck was a perfect role model. He always managed to make him feel better like how Stark did for him once. Maybe it was his orphan brain searching for another parent figure after losing Stark and May, or maybe it was the universe granting the spiderling a gift after all the sacrifice given by him.

As soon as that thought hit him, he felt guilt settle in his stomach. In a manner of weeks, he had already replaced the family he once had. Though never his intention, the kid couldn’t help but feel like he has a family again. One that didn’t leave him, one that understood him, one that didn’t underestimate him. They were everything the Avengers weren’t.

If this was supposed to be so bad, then why does it feel so good?

It didn’t matter anyways. Mister Stark had a family so he wouldn’t need him. Captain America was gone, even though they weren’t friends persay. Miss Romanoff was...well she wasn’t here anymore. Rhodey had his own life doing god knows what these days. Vision was also gone. Mister T’challa is literally a king so he definitely doesn’t need him. The Guardians were from space (thank god) so they surely didn’t need him. Strange was clear that he didn’t like him and Peter was unsure of his feelings towards him. Now that most of his anger towards him began to dampen, he wasn’t sure where to put the man on his favorite to least favorite hero list. After that, he doesn’t really know anybody else since they were technically his enemies during their whole little airport battle and then became fugitives. However, what he did know was that they were awesome fighters after the whole Thanos showdown. 

So maybe this new found family was supposed to be his next chapter. Maybe this is where he’s supposed to be. Part of him wished this would never end despite the circumstances. He just desperately wanted a family to be his forever. Or maybe he was too desperate and clinging onto the first sense of safety he’s felt since this whole snap fiasco. 

 

Whatever it was, Peter didn’t want to let it go and when the time comes, he wasn’t sure how he’ll take it when they’ll part ways.

 

* * *

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“The mother identified the body.”

The Coroner stood behind the glass, standing behind the large metal slab that was covered by a white sheet hiding a deceased body. 

“We just need your identification to be sure.”

Fury watched, his face set like a statue as the Agent banged on the window, signaling the coroner to start. He watched as they edged closer to the body, her thin fingers grabbing onto the white cloth and pulling it off of the body. His back straightened, puffing out his chest as he took a deep breath. 

“It’s him.” The nurse nodded, nodding towards the other woman. The body was covered up once again by the white sheet.

“So you’re gonna tell me what killed one of my best agents?” Fury asked, his fist clenched behind his back. “We don’t know. There’s no signs of foul play. The previous morgue that had him noted no signs of foul play so they shaped it up to be an overdose of pills or something to the homeless. That’s why it took awhile to find him.” 

“But?” Fury prompted.

“After the autopsy,” The Nurse continued, “we noticed something suspicious.” The woman brushed the stray strands of hair on her face behind her ear as she began to walk out with the director.

“What’s that?” Fury asked. 

“Nothing,” The Nurse concluded, “Absolutely nothing.” 

Fury awaited for the blond nurse to continue, watching her sign a few papers. “A completely healthy man doesn’t just drop dead,” She states boldly, “so we ruled his death suspicious.” 

The director sat in thought, his silence filling the room. For a moment it was like the whole world had become dead to the man, his mind off somewhere else. 

“Anything else?” 

“Yeah, we found blood underneath the fingertips,” The nurse told him, handing the director a file discreetly. 

 

“It’s a match to one file in the Shield database. Peter Parker.”

 

* * *

 

“Deep breaths kid.” 

 

Peter inhaled the cool air, feeling his lungs expand with the single breath before deflating with his exhale.

“Now try to focus on the stones. They’re a part of you right? Like another limb!” Peter focused his thoughts on the stones, reaching out to them. He could feel them. They were so bright, their power outshined the sun. It was like poking thousands of bolts of electricity with a stick. He was hesitant and frankly kinda frightening. This power was already too much to touch, but to hold felt like would kill him.

“Like an arm, you tell it what to do. You are in control, remember that,” Beck told him, his voice growing distant as the kid reached further into the light. 

_ God it was so bright. _

Peter hesitated for a moment, pondering if it was too late to fall back. However he didn’t let his thoughts stump him and in a moment of pure bravery he latched onto the ball of pure light and wouldn’t let go. It was like dozens of bolts of energy shot through his body, frying him up on this inside. Control felt impossible with the sheer amount of energy there was. It was gonna burn him from the inside out if he didn’t let go. 

“Come on Pete!” 

Peter tried harder but eventually the light became too much and the boy collapsed on the roof with a nose bleed.

 

* * *

 

“Stark has been attempting to contact you again sir.”

 

Fury didn’t respond right away, his eyes focused on the city below. The tension inside of him sent shivers down the agents spine, making him regret entering the room.

“Ignore,” Fury ordered blandly. 

The Agent nodded and left the premises right away to avoid any more tension leaving the director to brood.

Now over the few weeks, Fury hate to admit it but he’s grown to somewhat be inspired by Peter. The kid showed heart despite his failures  and was truly the modern version of Captain America. However the case left him conflicted. One of his best agents Skip Westcott was dead in the morgue after begging sent on a mission to track down the teenage superhero known as Spider-Man. He had DNA proof that the kid was with him the night he died.

Fury recalled the night they found him all beat up and torn, barely functioning like a human being and responding negatively to touch, still is. All signs pointing to guilt. No doubt Peter had something to do with his death. However there was no cause of death. There was no way to say for sure it was murder if there was no proof. 

He knew his person view was biased by both sides. On one hand, the kid was still a kid. He still has nightmares like a child would a would call out at night for his Aunt or Stark. While on the other, Westcott had a family and was one of his best trained men. He deserved justice. 

If Peter did murder him, then Fury had no choice. He didn’t have one right now either. His soldiers are restless, demanding for action and hungry for blood. 

Fury just sat, reserved from the world. If this was anybody else he’d already have sicked the dogs on them. He couldn’t let emotions cause a barrier in his work. 

Sometimes being a director sucked more than being human. 

Fury picked up his takie, holding it up to his mouth as he spoke. “New mission,” he said, “Bring in Peter Parker for the murder of Skip Westcott.” 

 

“ _ Copy that, Director. _ ” 

 

Both agents walked away, their eyes flashed dangerously dark with a cruel expression, their eyes thirsting for blood from the murder of their fellow Agent. Little did Fury know, Peter was not gonna be captured in a peaceful way

 

* * *

 

Peter worked the blueprints, staring down at the blue paper with determination as he listened to the physicist speak in the video he had playing.

” _ It uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to very high speeds and energies, and to contain them in well-defined beams…”  _

The teen managed to keep his head up during all the large science talk which was impressive since he was listening to Doctorates and Masters talk. He followed along, occasionally added input of his own into his notes, and help the process. Sometimes he finds Beck watching the process from a distant with a conflicted expression on his face as he watched him worked on the machine, tweaking it the design to make the accelerator portable. 

Peter had joined Beck to lunch one day despite his resistance, enjoying a creamy Mac and cheese with bacon while his friend ate fish and chips. The kid spoke freely about Star Wars, finding himself growing close to the mysterious hero. Peter treated him like a god. He’d listen to the countless tales, finding him sink further into the man’s spell. This man was a renowned hero back home, the only one in fact. This man single handedly fought every single villain that came his way and always managed to escape unharmed. Beck was exactly how Peter wished he was. 

Plus his life was a great distraction from his own. 

He learned that this man had been tricked and abused by people he loved, all of them betraying him. It was horrible to listen. 

“So then, I left home. I realized people can’t be trusted easily. People only care about themselves, never you,” Beck told the young spider, casting his eyes off into the distance with a hard look on his face.

“I care, if that makes you feel better,” Peter told him.

“You have a big heart Peter. I can see you care about a lot of people,” Beck told him, “Be careful. Not everyone shares your golden heart.” 

_ (“Time for you to go home Pete!” “I’m trying to save you!”) _

Peter shifted in his seat, squirming at the memory of Toome’s. Finding it to be the lemon of his life, always bringing a sour taste in his life.

“You know, I’m curious as to your story Spider-Boy. You drink orange juice, you sleep in the craziest positions, Fury has an interest in you, you don’t like touch, and you always talk about this Tony Stark like he’s a god church or something. So tell me kid, what’s Peter Parker’s story?” 

That was like putting a ton of lemonheads, sour patches, and warheads into his mouth all at once. It caused him to tense further, bending the spork in his hand. His palms began to sweat, finding the spotlight to be unbearable on his fragile skin. 

“T-There’s not much to tell. It’s pretty b-boring,” Peter muttered, “I’m sure y-you don’t want me to bore you with my life.” 

“Come on, I told you everything about me. Tell me about  _ you  _ now, no matter how boring it could be.”

Peter watched to scream  _ ‘no’ _ but he didn’t want his only friend to hate him. He was all he got. He couldn’t lose him too. However going into his past was gonna tear all the duct tape and bandages off of the unintended wounds he carried. He tried so hard to forget, to live in the present and look away from the painful shadows. His life before just brought so much guilt, pain, and sorrow that he was afraid to break. 

“I got my p-powers when I was fourteen. I-I kinda got bit on a field trip by a radioactive spider that gave me powers while nearly killing me,” Peter told, recanting the memories of him laying in his bed with a dangerous fever and horrible tremors. He went into detail about the first few months of his adventure in super power land. Recalling his selfish deeds was enough to feel guilt seep through him again, especially after he got into the topic of his uncle. 

“I got cocky...and um...I kinda took everything I had for granted. I-I got in an argument with m-my Uncle about my behavior and I-I kinda stormed off after telling him that he wasn’t my father,” Peter cringed at the memory, “H-He followed me a-and ended up getting shot because I-I was too caught up in myself when the shooter passed by me. H-He said  _ ‘Thanks Kid’  _ before running off. Five minutes later, I find him in an alleyway with my Uncle and the s-store associate. My Uncle had tried to f-fight the man for the gun but ended up getting shot. I held him in my arms as he bled out.” The words rang in his head, his Uncle’s hoarse voice and pale skin telling him that things would be okay. The man who was dying tried to comfort the terrified teen that screamed and cried for help. 

“He died a hero,” Beck told Peter, his voice awkwardly quiet. 

“Yeah...I know that.” The teen fiddled with his hands, refusing to meet the older man’s gaze. His eyes burned, but he refused to show emotion. “I just wished he didn’t.” 

There was a silence, a dreadful silence that Peter broke because he couldn’t stand it. “Anyways,” Clearing his throat, “ After that I became Spider-Man. My uncle died doing what was right, and the least I could do is honor his memory by fighting for guys like him.” 

“Wow, your backstory is way cool,” Beck joker lightly, giving a small chuckle before taking a sip from his drink. 

“Not as cool as Mister Stark or Captain freaking America,” Peter pointed out, a small smile spread across his lips. Beck twitched at the mention of Stark but still kept his friendly smile. 

“From what I’ve heard, hell yeah.” 

Their laughter filled the table, catching the attention of bystanders. By the time his stomach began to ache, his laughter died down leaving them a giggling mess. 

“We should head back,” Peter told the distracted man, “We don’t have much time to spare before the world ends.” 

“ _ If the world ends, _ ” Beck muttered deeply under his breath. Peter hadn’t heard what was said as he stood, picking up their trash before placing it in its respective bin. Together the two headed out, blabbering on about a bet. 

Neither paid attention to the agents across the road watching them leave.

 

* * *

 

“ _ Hey Aquafina! Meet my less attractive adversary, Mister Mysterio’s magic with punch! _ ” 

Peter released the heavier man onto the raging monster below. He watched as the extra boost gave them the higher ground, bringing them the better chance. 

However the teen on the other hand focused on the ground. He saved citizens from being whisked away by the unusual large tides, bringing them to safety. He counted nearly twenty who recklessly placed themselves in harms away by simply trying to film the fight on a bridge or something while others were there purely by accident. Peter swooped down, snatching them out of harm's way while Beck did the heavy lifting. 

It made him being Spider-Man less daunting. He didn’t have a major freakout or freeze. He was actually doing something good for once. He owed it to Beck for making him overcome it for a bit and own it. He owed it all to that man for making him feel like himself once again.

The two hero’s had grown to be in sync while fighting. They were like peanut butter and jelly while fighting. The city was their studio and they were the dancers. Each move and every hit was a strange melody that melted into each other playing a great song.

Fighting Hydron had became a norm. They became partners in crime fighting, throwing hits that neither would be able to do alone. The two were about to wrap up the fight when suddenly the monster dropped, returning to salty water underneath. Peter was in mid swing when the water man decided to dip and landed on another roof. He looked up at Beck who just seemed to shrug it off like it wasn’t weird. The two were left alone with tons of people and not a clue on what happened.

 

* * *

 

Peter and Beck returned to base, smiling wildly as each spoke happily about their victory. For once a true smile was plastered onto the teens face. Happiness sore through him at his usefulness, finally finding where he belongs. They were coming up by the opening when he felt a tingle on the back of neck causing the hairs on his arms to rise simultaneously. He stops mid track, his arm shooting out to stop the hero beside him.

“What?” The hero looked at the kid, his smile fading into confusion.

“ _ There must be a mistake! No way in hell would the kid be guilty of something like that! You must have the wrong kid! _ ” He heard Hill exclaim, using his advanced hearing to his advantage. 

“ _ We have DNA. Now stand down. We have orders to bring Peter Parker in, so don’t stand in our way unless you want your badge revoked. _ ”

Peter stepped back, feeling his heart drop and mouth go dry. Hill went silent. 

“ _ We bring in the Parker boy alive. He’s only to be harm if he tries to run or harm one of us! Copy?”  _ The soldiers shouted, copying the orders.

Beck must’ve heard since he was the one to back away first gesturing for them to run. However by the time Peter felt his feet move, men came charging down the hall, wield rifles and other weapons while wearing protective gear.  

“FREEZE! HANDS IN THE AIR!” Peter’s head swirled, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. Was this really happening? 

“ _ PETER _ !” Beck exclaimed as agents grabbed him, pulling him back leaving Peter in the center of a circle of lions.

God why does everything feel so weird? Nothing felt real. Like this was some crazy dream he was bound to awaken from. He could feel the negative emotion radiating off of Beck as Peter just stood frozen in time. 

“HANDS UP,  **_NOW!_ ** ” Men screamed at him. 

_ Danger _ .

_ Danger  _

_ Danger. _

_ Danger _ . 

His mind rang like a bell in a church, his instincts glaring up as suddenly he felt a familiar light inside of him flare up. Like a puppet on strings, he moved his arms up unable to stop them.

“Peter!” Hill came running before being stopped by another agent. “Just do as they say! Don’t do anything rash!”

All the voices got louder, overflooding him with emotions he couldn’t handle, forcing the light inside of him grew larger until it burst inside of him. 

Peter blinked, his eyes shifting to the color of mind. He heard people gasp and watched Hill stumble backwards in surprise before suddenly lifting his hands in the air like he was asked. Without any sense of control, he tore cement off the walls before aiming them towards the dozens of agents. They began to fire but all the bullets were stopped mid air, freezing in a center on time. 

 

“ _ That was a bad idea,”  _ he snarled.

 

“OH SHI-“ Cement bricks went flying, attacking each man that threatened him. In the shadows the boy could make out the familiar hooded figure fighting the crowd like a ghost, hurting them despite being invisible to basically everyone at the moment, serving him and aiding in his protection. 

Although looking back at it, the only protection he needed was from himself.

By the time Peter gained his body back, nothing by rubble and ash could be seen. He was too frightened by the scene to listen. He felt cold chills rise through his body as tried to find Beck or Hills face. Unable to watch for any longer he stumbled backwards, tripping over his own feet as his body fell through a portal created, landing in a soft green grass field behind a farm. 

Peter’s tears stung more than the fear inside of him. The stench of death reeked his hands, and this time, there was nobody to run back to.

 


	12. Lose Control, Lose Yourself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the prophecy has begun.

“I didn’t mean to do it,” Peter sobbed. 

 

He laid in defeat on the soft patch of grass, recalling the whole event that transpired nearly minutes ago. 

 

Peter couldn’t control the tremble in his hand or the crushing feeling in his chest. The only thing he could do was bury his head within his arms and legs. 

 

“Why did they make me do that? They were my friends!” 

 

“ Nobody made you do anything and they most certainly weren’t your friends.” 

 

Peter felt a stranger anger fester in his chest, moving up into his fists. Thoughts pushed through his head faster than he could prepare himself. 

 

“I didn’t kill those men willingly! They were people! I don’t care if they took lives themselves! They didn’t have to die!” 

 

“ You can’t change the fact those men’s fate my gem, you must move forward. It’s no longer safe for you to return home or to the base. You must leave. ” 

 

Peter’s head snapped up, unwrapping himself as he turned to face the floating figure with a steaming anger that was foreign to him. 

 

“Why should I listen to some ghost? Tell me one good reason why I should even acknowledge your existence, huh?!” Peter had stood in the figures face. “All of this is happened because of you and this power inside of me! Heck, I don’t even know who you are!”

 

“I used to have a name,” The figure drifted, “but that was long ago...you may refer to me as The Keeper or as my former nickname....Red Skull.” 

 

Peter wanted to scream for this all to end. He didn’t want to know this figure on a name basis. It would give the haunting spirit an identity, which in turn forced him into acknowledging that this was happening. 

 

“I don’t want this responsibility anymore,” Peter announced, his heart broken voice cracked. “Find another gem, and tell the stones that the deal is over! They got their joy ride, I had enough!” The teen spun around, trying to walk away only to feel his body freeze.

 

“ No .” Power snarled. “ Biology does not have say. Biology bows to us- “

 

“ Let him go. We are no longer in control. Biology is now us. ” It was Soul. Their tone easy as they cautiously attempted to secure the angered force. To tame the lion who fought against its zookeeper.

 

Though weak and fading, the stones sense of awareness was strong enough to form thoughts and communicate with a free mind. They had yet to fully melt into his consciousness, he realized. Though it’d be only a matter of time before he would be in full control. 

 

“Enough control to level the universe.”  Red skull sounded almost envious. If it weren’t for his panicked breathes he would’ve realized his guardian’s distance as if he’s remembering a memory that was long forgotten.

 

To think this all began to save the life of a man who he sees as a father. The life of a man who no longer needed a son figure like he needed a father figure. 

 

Saddest part of it all is he’ll never regretted saying yes. 

 

“ The stones will die without you, and without them, balance will cease to exist. ” 

 

Peter couldn’t breath under the mountain of responsibilities crushed him. He knew from the moment he accepted the stones accord nothing would be the same, however he never expected this. All of this for what?

 

“T-That isn’t my responsibility.”

 

It was lie.

 

Everything was his responsibility. Even if he couldn’t control it, everything was his responsibility. It was built into him from an early age. Like a code inside his brain. The need to hold the weight of the world, to be the better man. The words were gitterish to him, making no sense. It wasn’t right, yet the words still left his mouth.

 

“ You’re lost .” 

 

The words sunk deep with meaning. Though short and simple, it felt like a knife to the chest. The reality of it all felt like a ton of bricks.

 

_I’m lost_.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“He’s running. All our men are down and Hill is in the infirmary.”

 

The words snipped through the air, making Fury’s heart grow cold. He sighed, his theory’s proven to be true. 

 

Peter Parker was a murder. 

 

“Lockdown the Stark’s, tail the Aunt,” Fury’s voice was brief and short, “Give Spider-Man a homecoming he’ll remember.”

 

 

* * *

 

Strange felt the change. He felt the surge of pure unchecked power. It was cold, unforgiving. It was full of pain and misery, yet anger and rage. 

 

He had been in the library when he felt it hit him. It was so powerful that he was thrown back. He had to grab onto the book racks to keep two feet on the ground.

 

He felt his heart run cold, for a moment not a single breath left his frozen body. He hadn’t felt like this ever since...ever since Thanos. The only creature to send chills down his neck. The fear paralysis, frozen limbs, eyes wide, mouth dropped. Only this time he couldn’t mask it behind an emotionless mask. 

 

“Can you do it?” 

 

Stephen jumped at the sight of his friend standing by a set of books a few feet away. 

 

“Do what?” He asked, trying to cover up. 

 

“To kill a child to protect the universe?”

 

Stephen couldn’t answer the question right away, his judgment eating away at him. It took five minutes before Strange could answer,

 

“Yes.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Tony felt everything from fuming anger to hot frustration.

 

He had been rudely interrupted from the search by Shield agents bursting into his house. 

 

The first thing he had done when he saw the leading Agents face was give him a good crack across the jaw. 

 

“Good to see you too,  Stark .” The venom in his tone stabbed the billionaire causing him to puff his chest defensively. The agent should consider himself lucky. If it weren’t for the dozens of agents fighting to keep him away he’d blast all of their asses to Tomorrowland.

 

“How’s the miss’s?” The Agent faked shock as if he didn’t already know his situation. “Oh wait-I forgot, she’s at her parents house because you forgot how to keep a woman satisfied.”

 

“Fuck you,” Tony spat, struggling to remain calm under the dozens of arms pulling him away. 

 

Pepper said she needed space from him. That until he could keep himself together that she’d keep Morgan with her parents. She didn’t want their daughter to witness himself self destruct. 

 

“Get the hell out of my house.” There was no room for reconsideration. His voice was icier than the cold touch of Elsa’s hands. He was clear on his demand and completely serious.

 

“You know we can’t do that Stark.” 

 

As Stark lived and breath, Nick Fury of all people made his way through the soldiers, trumping the small time Agent that he was close to murdering. 

 

“What the hell do you want now? Wanna take another kid? Huh? Got another amazing idea that’ll probably end with me almost dying again?” Tony was bitter. Without any sugar to add, he was black. “Well let me break it to you, the Avengers are dead. All of them! So you can get your ass back on whatever garbage truck you flew over here and leave!” 

 

“You and I both know what’s this about Stark.” Fury signaled for his men to let go. Tony huffed, shaking off whatever dirt those animals left on him. 

 

“Yeah, well I don’t want to talk to a  kidnapper .” 

 

Nick gestured for his crew to step aside, to which they followed. Soon it was just Stark and Fury standing. 

 

“Last night, twenty of my men were killed and one injured while on a routine mission,” Fury starts. 

 

“What the hell does this have to do with me?” Tony snapped. “I have more important things to do, like track down my kid that you stole!”

 

“Tony...,” Fury sounded almost sympathetic, “The mission was Peter Parker.”

 

“What the hell did you do to him?! Is he hurt?! I swear to god if you hurt him-” Tony needed to know. It’s been far too long. He wasn’t even sure if the kid was alive if Fury was here talking to him.

 

“Stark, Peter was the one who slaughtered the agents. My men were there to arrest him for the murder of a separate agent.” 

 

“What the hell?” Tony couldn’t process what he was hearing. It was falling on deaf ears. Ears that belonged to a man desperate to believe his kid was still the innocent boy he knew. “You’re wrong.”

 

Fury pulled out a shield pad where a video was paused, waiting for him to watch. He waited a few seconds before pressing play.

 

What he saw left him paralyzed. Though he couldn’t see Peter’s face, he could see him in a suit. He was unmasked and could see his fluffy brown hair. One minute the kid was looking around, confused and frightened at the armed men the next the kid’s hands were glowing and the building was collapsing. The glow reminded him of Wanda. Every time she’d use her powers, a reddish mist that surrounded her hands was almost the exact same thing happening now. Only this time, Peter’s seem brighter and much more evident. It made him sick to watch. 

 

“ _Have you seen what I **become**?_ ”

 

“ _...He’s still human and like any human, he has a dark side. You just probably haven’t seen it yet._ ”

Tony wanted to pull his mentee from the video footage and wrap him in a hug, tell him that he was here and it would be okay. To sooth the fear he must be feeling, to tell him that he wasn’t alone. 

 

“Help me find him before more people get hurt.” 

 

Tony cursed under his breath. He didn’t want to help Fury track down his kid, but he had no choice. He was right. He needed to find Peter before they do and bring him home. He’d rather them find him with him than without. 

 

“Friday, open facial identification and open it worldwide. Subject...Peter Parker.”

 

“On it Boss.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Peter had stumbled through the cold rain. He wasn’t quite sure where he was or why it suddenly began to rain but he didn’t care. If he were to drop dead here from Pneumonia, it’d be a public service.

 

“ _Something is coming_.”

 

Peters arm was suddenly wrapped in bright yellow rope, burning his wrists. He tried to move his other arm but another rope stopped him. Before he could react, two more shot out, capturing his legs. He was forced to his kneel on the muddy ground underneath him.

 

Above him came Strange floating down, revealing himself to the trapped teen. 

 

It was like the image from his vision came to life. Every single detail was the same only this was really happening. 

 

Strange landed in front of him like some sort of god. His eyes were emotionless and cold, barely even giving him the simplistic form of empathy.

 

“You’re here to kill me,” Peter states, his voice shaking. His lip quivered as he stared up at his old teammate with a broken heart. 

 

“I am.” It was a simple answer. It was the truth. 

 

“I’m sorry...for everything. I-I didn’t want to hurt those people,” Peter wasn’t begging for forgiveness. He wasn’t begging for mercy. He was stating the truth. “I-I can’t control it! It just hurts and it hurts so much!”

 

Strange stares at him, contemplating his words. It was hesitation he saw. 

 

“Please make them stop. I don’t want to hurt anybody else.”

 

“Then why did you run?” Peter froze, his beating heart jumping to his throat. 

“Why didn’t you turn yourself in? Instead you ran. You chose to hurt those people-“

 

“No,” Peter shook his head. He couldn’t listen. It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true. “You’re wrong.”

 

“You didn’t ask for help, you just left. You knew something was wrong-”

 

“Stop.”

 

Strange’s gaze fell onto the spray of blood on his suit. “Who’s blood is on your suit?”

 

“Stop!” 

 

“You hurt that man on news and you did it again, didn’t you? You hurt somebody else.  Who ? Who did you hurt?”

 

“ _Stop, stop, stop_...”

 

“Who Peter? I can’t help you if you don’t tell me who. Who did you hurt? Tell me! Peter-”

 

“STOP!”

 

Suddenly Strange was hit with a force, knocking him back into the air. The strong blast sent him back a few feet, forcing him to land against a tree that knocked him unconscious. 

 

Peter had done it again.

 

Only this time, it didn’t leave him feeling sick. It made made him feel good. To release his anger and pain. 

 

That’s what made him feel awful. He wasn’t suppose to feel good about knocking the man who he once save from a spaceship unconscious. 

 

He was dangerous. 

 

He needed to be contained, like deadly virus. He couldn’t afford to keep hurting those he loved like this. He needed help. He needed to take responsibility. 

 

He needed to do what was right.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Beck wasn’t dead.

 

No, he had just been knocked unconscious. He had managed to gain consciousness before the rest, pulling himself out of the rubble. Luckily the armor of his suit kept him from crushing to death. 

 

He looked in annoyance at the dozens of unconscious shield agents. They just had to take him down with them. He knew he couldn’t trust those sleaze bags. He was glad they were crushed.

 

The illusionist glanced around, searching for the teen before realizing he was gone. He sighed. A powerful weapon slipped through his fingers. That boy was the key to everything and he was gone. Such a shame. The power he had would make a mighty great ally. He was the key to everything.

 

Stark would be devastated when he’d steal his sidekick and together they’d destroy the stupid legacy the Iron Man built in his face by creating a show of a life time! Dozens of people watching, cheering, for him. Beck- Mysterio . They’d cheer for Mysterio not  Iron Man . Soon the red and gold iron would be replaced with his green and gold! In this world, he’d become the very thing he was destined for! He wouldn’t let this world’s Stark take that from him too. Landing in this world was a blessing, and now he was gonna cash in on that blessing. 

 

 

Beck stepped out from the rubble, walking away with a mission in mind. 

 

Find Peter Parker.


	13. I’m not her.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m not your kid.

“You’re a hard man to track down...of course your little waltz through time square helped a bit.” 

 

Peter stares at the cold metal slab in front of him instead of the human eyes watching him curiously. Like an animal in a zoo, people stared in awe and disbelief. As if this was all a dream of theirs made up inside of their tunnel of imagination. 

 

“You’re smarter than that though. You would have never walked through such a high risked area without a reason.” Fury observed the silent suspect. Tense body language, blank expression, dead eyes. All that the suspect was exhibiting showed him that the kid wasn’t gonna speak anytime soon unless Fury broke the ice.

 

“Why did you turn yourself?” The question was blunt, not furious. He was trying to be neutral about the situation, show the suspect that he wasn’t like those who gave him the guilt ridden glare. 

 

No answer again, leaving Fury stuck in square one. He glanced at the two way glass, staring at where presumably an agent stood. He knew that behind the glass was his best agent watching, observing what she could. The only person who could watch without getting emotional like Stark. Having him even see the kid even from the corner of his eye was a risk. He tended to get emotional, a human flaw that always seemed to burn him every time. 

 

“Fine,” Fury slammed a Shield Pad on the table, making the kid jump in his seat, “Tell me what's happened here.” He slid the pad into the kid’s eye line, pressing the play button on the security footage. It was of the incident. 

 

Peter tried to look away, unable to watch the disaster but Fury wouldn’t let him. He was forced to watch the horror of his actions. His eyes felt heavy with tears that burned. When the footage went black, the teen let out a shaky breath. His body trembled as he gripped on tightly to his wrist. 

 

“Please...just arrest me. Do whatever...” Peter whispered. “I did it. I killed those men...I’m guilty.” Fury sat back, staring at the broken teen with conflicting emotions. The kid admitted guilt, now all he had to do was arrest him formally but something stopped him. There was something inside him telling him to ask more, search deeper. 

 

However the director reminded himself that he wasn’t here to tend to this child’s emotions. He was here to bring justice. 

 

“Peter Parker you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent...”

 

 

* * *

  
  


Peter sat in the cold cell, wondering whether he would die in prison. 

 

Fury was right, walking through Time Square wasn’t a mistake. He showed his face knowing they had every traffic camera and cellphone listening. It was the best plan he had to draw them out. He waited until he saw the Agents make their way through the crowd. Despite the weakened tugs of the stones he sat on the bench watching the sky carefully. He remembers feeling Fury sit next to him, as if to say it was over without even opening his mouth. All he did was holding out his arms in surrender and follow them to his grave.

 

Peter dragged his index finger on the smooth metal wondering whether there was another person on the other side.  Where they tracing the walls like him? Or were they asleep? Or were they unaware of his presence?

 

Suddenly the sound quicken footsteps caught his attention. They moved down the hall, stopping next to his. At first Peter didn’t want to move, he didn’t want the guilt. 

 

“I’ll cover for you.” 

 

The words felt foreign, so cold and distant. The teen cringed mentally. He felt the cell doors dematerializes, telling him that if he ran he wouldn’t be electrocuted with bolts of electricity. He didn’t move. 

 

“Hey!” Before Peter could react to his senses, he was grabbed his shirt, yanking him off the cold bench. He was slammed into the wall where he was met face to face with a Shield uniform. “So you’re the bastard the killed my friends, huh?” 

 

Peter couldn’t speak. His throat constricted and his eyes were saucers. 

 

“You call yourself a hero but really you’re just a brat in a suit,” The Agent spat. His words were venomous, infecting him, rendering his body paralyzed. “Tell me, did you get off on it? Is that why you did it?!” 

 

“I-It was an accident…” 

 

Peter was thrown to the ground like a piece of trash left in a junkyard. His body collided with the hard cold ground beneath him. He could barely take a breathe before the Agent’s leg met his stomach. All the air was knocked out of him like a deflated balloon. 

 

_ Fight back. _

 

Red Skull yelled at him to fight, to stand for himself and use the power blessed onto him to stand up. 

 

_ No. _

 

Peter didn’t raise a hand. He let the cold fist connect to his face. He allowed the release of anger on his body, staying on the ground. He wouldn’t take another life. Never again. Not like this.

 

He needs this, the pain, to make him feel something, anything.  

 

_ He deserves this. _

 

“Fury!” The Agent’s friend exclaimed. The man attacking him froze, running out of the cell, following his friend and shutting the cell doors as Fury’s heavy steps grew closer. They ran, leaving Peter bloody and defenseless. 

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Fury sounded upset as his eyes landed on the beaten teens body. “Would any of you like to explain why Stark’s ward is bleeding on the ground?!” The Agents shrugged, protecting their fellow comrades. They knew but would never turn.

 

“Shit,” Fury cursed. Stark would bring a hurricane when he sees what happened to his precious mentee in custody. 

  
  
  


 

* * *

  
  
  


“ _ Who the hell did this to you?! _ ” 

 

Peter held an ice pack to his bruised eye, avoiding eye contact. After the time away, looking at Stark felt like fire to his skin. A feeling of disappointment filled him. His body closed off, his eyes burning holes into the cold table underneath him. 

 

“He’ll live,” Strange muttered, finishing addressing the wounds covering the teen’s body. Luckily he was already healing so there wasn’t much they could do. He didn’t warn the kid when he dumped the rubbing alcohol over his wounds, maybe he was a bit bitter about the whole left unconscious in the woods.  

 

Peter barely hissed when the last bit of rubbing alcohol dripped onto the fresh wounds, instead clenching his other fist. 

 

“You know any normal half-brained doctor could’ve done this,” Strange told Stark. 

 

“No offense but I’d rather take your magical ass over Fury’s mental agents to look after the kid,” Stark grumbled as he examined the scrapes and bruises. 

 

Strange didn’t seem to react at the billionaires words however he closed the medical kit he borrowed quickly as if to say he was done. 

 

“I’ll leave you two be.” Strange states, standing abruptly and leaving. 

 

Peter clutched the ice pack tighter as the door closed behind the wizard. When the two were alone, his head fell like a child awaiting a scolding. He waited for Stark to yell at him for being so stupid. To tell him he was monster for what he did. He couldn’t imagine the disgust Stark felt for him. He must’ve hated him for all he did. He was a horrible excuse for a human being. 

 

Peter shut his eyes, awaiting the anger and disgust. However it never came. Instead he felt a warm hand on his cheek, planting itself on his cold pale skin. It pricked for a moment as the warmth of Stark’s hand heated up his skin.  It reminded him of the way Ben would do the same to him. The hand led him to met the billionaires gaze.

 

“When I get my hands on the bastards who did this to you, I swear to god I’m gonna kill them.” The surprised on his face was unrideable. How could Tony still care for him and look at him with his soft gaze? Why didn’t he hate him? Why didn’t he disown the kid once and for all? Get rid of the extra baggage he didn’t need. The murder. 

 

“I’m fine,” Peter muttered weakly, pulling himself away from Stark’s fiery touch. The abrupt coldness on his cheek was like a smack across the face. The sudden emptiness where Tony’s soul shined left a giant hole in him.

 

“If you call having a concussion, black eye, and bruised body being fine then I guess you must be thriving.” Tony leaned on the table, pulling his hand away with a tinge of disappointment. 

 

Peter’s fist clench. Sarcasm wasn’t what he needed to hear. In fact, he didn’t need Stark to be here. He didn’t need anything. He glared at the wall, avoid eye contact with his mentor. 

 

Peter knew Fury’s Agents were watching, plotting their next attack on him while Strange and the man himself were trying to figure out what to do with him next. He could hear them talking like he wasn’t a person. Like a toy that could be discarded. 

 

However that’s what he was. Just a being that people threw away like some out of date toy after they grew bored of it. Nobody cared about him. He was just a poor orphan kid with the shadow of death by his shoulder. That’s what everyone saw him as. Well everyone except Beck. He was the one person who didn’t throw him away, abandoned him, use him. He stuck by him even when it meant he could die. 

 

Beck sacrificed his life in the end. Then again, when didn’t it end that way?

 

Suddenly banged his hands on the desk, ripping the cuffs that held him apart before throwing the table against the wall in a fit of sudden rage. 

 

“Okay, anger outburst,” Tony states out loud, pointing out the obvious, “feel better?” 

 

Agents burst in holding their weapons, aiming to stun however Stark had a very different plan.

 

“Shoot him and I’ll make sure you fry to a crisp,” Tony threatened, barely sparing a glance at the men and women. 

 

“It’s your funeral,” Agent Beckham told the billionaire with a bitterness. He led his men out, deciding if Stark wanted to die, who was he to stop him?

 

“Go home Mister Stark,” Peter told his mentor, “You shouldn’t be here.” 

 

“When my kid is in trouble, hell yeah I should be here,” Tony pointed out, crossing his arms. 

 

Peter shook his head, “I’m not your kid.”

 

Tony pretended not to be hurt by the kid’s comment. He sucked up his emotions and just focused on the kid, who was in desperate need. Plus, this wasn’t about him. This was about helping the kid. 

 

“Did you kill those people?”

 

Peter fell silent, his eyes rising to the window onto his reflection. He studied his pale, sunken face. Any trace of his old self gone, replaced by a dysfunctional robotic monster. His breath hitched, giving the billionaire his answer. 

 

“Why?”

 

Peter glanced at the billionaire for the first time in such a long time, his eyes full of salty tears. He didn’t say anything but Tony didn’t push. He knew the kid, the guilt was eating him up inside. Gnawing at him like a hungry piranha. The kid must’ve had his reasons.

 

However a voice lingered over him, echoing him, knitting holes of self doubt.

 

_ “Have you seen what I’ll  _ **_become?”_ **

 

**_“This is the end.”_ **


	14. Everybody Want’s to Rule the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's my own desire,  
> It's my own remorse,  
> Help me to decide,  
> Help me make the most of freedom and of pleasure,   
> Nothing ever lasts forever,
> 
> Everybody wants to rule the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I highly suggest listening to the Lorde cover while reading this. I took my inspiration from there.

Peter stared at the roof of his cell, wondering if Fury knew that there were at least four different ways to escape. 

 

First was the the Air Vent. Though small, it’d fit anybody with a slim figure. Meaning all a dude gotta do is lose weight and slide through. Second was the cameras. Stark taught him a few tricks that any engineer would know. The cameras are connected to the security system. A little rewriting trick and some time to plot, anybody could shut down their defense systems. Only the brightest would know it, those good with computers and hacking. Though nerdy, machinery was a bit out of his expertise. He was more of a scientific fellow.  Third would be through the panels. Similar to the vents, there would have to be gap layer with no cement to block him from crawling around in. Perfect for escape since it was technically above the ventilation system. 

 

Peter huffed. He wondered how many people had his exact train of thought and escaped. He could imagine Fury’s red face as yelled at all his Agent’s for losing one of their prisoners. It would be chaos until they either find their prisoner hanging on for dear life on the side of the helicarrier or hiding out in the bathroom. He laughed at the thought, fondly imagining the whole scenario.

 

“ _ You should be fighting, my gem. These people do not deserve your cooperation. _ ” 

 

Peter didn’t even glance at his protector, keeping his eyes glued to the wall. 

 

“Doesn’t matter. I deserve to rot for what I did. I’m just lucky Shield is helping me to get rid of this curse inside of me.” He could feel the stones weakened protest, their conscious on the brink of fading. It was a warning to him that he didn’t have much time till the stones fully merged into his soul. 

 

“ _ Your guilt is clouding your judgement. You must let go of your silly human emotions- _ “

 

Peter scoffed. “If you’re gonna lecture me, then save it. I don’t need another adult telling me what a screw up I am. I’ve already heard it.” The teen crossed his arms stubbornly, glaring at the ground beneath him now. 

 

“ _ I was told that you were going to the best. The stones choose you, _ ” Red Skull reminded, ignoring the teenage stubbornness, “However I’m failing to see how you, a child running from himself, is to be the world's protector. So far all I see is a coward.”  

 

“Yeah, I’ve heard the prophecy. I’m either gonna be this world’s protector or destroyer, thanks for the reminder.” Peter bit his lip, feeling his soul shiver at the reminder. 

 

“You hide every time something goes wrong, but pretty soon you’ll run out of spots to hide. Then you must choose who you are. Are you the monster you think to be, or the world’s future hero?” 

 

“I’m not a hero.” The teen shook his head. “I never was, and never will be. I’m just a kid from Queens.” 

  
  


 

* * *

  
  


“Killing the boy was a bust.” 

 

“Don’t you think I know that?” Strange glared at Fury who continued to point out his mistakes to poke fun. The one eyed man didn’t even have to look up from Peter’s notebook to let him know he was being a jerk. It frustrates him. 

 

“Also a bit over the top.” 

 

“There’s no cure for stones syndrome. He’s a global threat now making him my responsibility to make sure he does reach universal.” 

 

“We have bigger threats that you should focus your work on, like the tears in our world.”  Fury studied him carefully, looking over his frame, taking in every twitch of the brow, eye flicker, blink. 

 

“Also, Stark isn’t going to be happy to hear his magical best friend tried to kill his super power sidekick.” 

 

“I frankly don’t care if Stark gets his feelings hurt, he’s blinded by his emotions to see the threat right in-front of his eyes.” Strange pointed out, his tone rising. “He’s already killed at least half a dozen men, including one of  _ your _ undercover’s.  What’s to say, you’re not next? What’s one more stain?”

 

Fury seemed to contemplate this idea. His men lost their lives, Peter has tasted their blood. Who’s to say he won’t mind some more? It was a thought he needed to take seriously. 

 

“He’ll kill us all. It’s just a matter of time.”

 

* * *

  
  


Tony sat in for questioning the second time around, taking a seat next to the minor. 

 

Peter seemed a bit more open, answer only a few questions. Though vague, the answers provided insight. 

 

“I-I can’t explain it. I just lost control,” Peter told the Director, his body shifting uncomfortably. “I just remember people yelling at me and then they weren’t.” 

 

The Agent behind Fury looked annoyed, almost pissed at the explanation the kid try to give. To call the death of countless agents just an accident was sickening.

 

“There you have it! Kid told you everything he knew! Now we’ll be leaving,” Tony stood. 

 

“What? No!” Peter all but shrieked. “I can’t go back!” 

 

“Oh yes you can! Watch us.” 

 

Fury sighed, sitting back in his seat. He seemed annoyed by Stark’s impatient actions but that wasn’t uncommon. Dozens of other agents shared his unpleasant feelings.

 

“Actually I have something else to talk to Peter about,” Fury spoke up. 

 

Tony glared but stayed quiet. He searched his old friend like drug sniffing dog, searching for any sign of bad intention. Once he gets a whiff, the next time the one eyed bastard wants to talk it would be through his long wall of lawyers. 

 

Suddenly Fury pulled a photo up from his files, sliding it downwards towards the teen. His was was straight while the kid curiously looked over. The kid seemed to hesitate, glancing at the dozens of agents and Fury. It wasn’t until Tony peaked and signaled him with a nod, encouraging him to continue. 

 

Peter grabbed onto the picture, taking a breath before flipping the photo over. 

 

It was like a car hit him. A speeding car with no sense of self preservation. It collided with his body, sending him flying into a pit of burning lava. It festered and charcoaled his body.

 

“This is Skip Westcott, and he was found dead in a Brooklyn alleyway the night after we met.” 

 

Tony glanced at Peter and Fury confused, switching gazes every few seconds trying to find an answer to his confusion.

 

“What does this have to do with the kid?” The billionaire asked, sitting forward in his seat. 

 

“He was one of the Agents we sent to find him.”

 

Peter’s breath hitch as he went flying back, muttering no over and over again.  He tried to stand but he tripped over the seat. He landed on the ground attempting to crawl away but a guard stopped him.

 

“Don’t touch me!” Peter screamed at the men who touched him.

 

“Get your hands off him!” Tony demanded, rising from his seat. “This interview is over!”

 

It was like Westscott was violating him all over again, pinning him to the cold gravel ground saying his dirty words and reeling of cheap alcohol. His sweaty hands clasped on his mouth, keeping him held down. It was like the man still kept him under his thumb even from the grave.

 

“No! No! No!” Peter was backed into the corner. The Agent refused to let him go so he did the only thing he could do to survive. He fought back. He threw the man down, using his strength. He watched the concrete crack under the immense pressure. The man was knocked out but alive. 

 

Peter’s back hit the back wall, muttering repeatedly, “ _ it can’t be. _ ” It must’ve been his hundredth time saying it before shouting,

 

“ _ Beck! _ ”

 

He banged on the windows, his strength breaking the one way window in a second. “Help me! Please-“

 

There was a sudden jolt of pain before there was nothing.

  
  


 

* * *

  
  


“Peter....”

 

“ _ Uncle Ben..., _ ” Peter breathes out, his lips curving upwards to form a smile. 

 

This time he was fourteen, sitting in a stadium while a baseball game played in the background. He remembered this. This was when Ben took him to some baseball game as a bonding moment. 

 

He wasn't a sports fan, and openly was against it. He told his Uncle that he didn’t want to go to some sports games. However once he saw his Uncle’s dejected expression, he imminently took it back and agreed to go. Peter had more fun than the originally intended, expecting the night to be a total bust, he actually enjoyed the quality time with his Uncle to just bond. Like a father would do with his son. 

  
  


A fond memory that he cherished deeply. Now he was reliving that memory inside what he presumed a dream or some sort of vision.

 

“It’s good to see you, sport. I’ve really missed you,” Ben told him, placing his ghost hand against his shoulder. He gave a kind smile that made the boy’s heart warm up.

 

“Me too.”

 

Ben smiles before ruffling his hair. Man the teen hadn’t had his hair ruffled since his court date. It made him giggle like a child. There was a moment of silence as the two looked each other in the eyes. Nobody spoke, leaving this moment to feel like hours as Peter tried to memorize the man’s face, picking apart every detail. 

 

Then suddenly Ben’s eyes turned sad.

 

“Why are you doing this Pete? You don’t deserve this...” Peter snapped out of his trance, reeling back at Ben’s words like he was slapped across the face. His memories of the events in the interview came to the surface. As he remembered he felt anger. It was bleeding red, making his teeth clench. 

 

Shield was supposed to be the good guys. Instead they turned into a corrupt system with dirty agent’s and filthy staff working. They set him up. They sent that awful man after him who would forever haunt him. They were like every villain he’s ever faced. A liar. 

 

Peter grasped at the bench he sat on, causing a darkness to spread.

 

“I don’t want to talk about  _ them _ .” 

 

“Don’t shut me out Peter...please.” Ben looked sad as he studied his nephew. He could see the darkness keeping his light hostage. It grew stronger, consuming him. “ _ Peter- _ “

 

“I said no!” Peter snapped, growling. His quick to anger response tensed his shoulders, causing him to hunch over. The darkness exploded, consuming his happy memory, turning it into a wicked nightmare.

 

“Peter please... _ Don’t do this to me again. _ ” Before the boy could process what he heard, a sharp bang cut through his eardrums. The world around him blurred, turning dark as he spun around. He no longer sat in the baseball game, now standing in a dark alley. Dark veins consumed his once paradise. 

  
  


He could hear whispers echo as the sight of red splashed on the dark pavement caught his sight as he choked on the smell of death that infiltrated his nostrils. 

 

Peter screamed, however nothing could be heard. His painful sorrow filled cries were muted in the dark world. 

 

“Peter...why...? Why didn’t you save me?” Uncle Ben asked, gasping as blood drips from his mouth. His hand laid over his bullet wound as he reached out for his nephew. “Wh...why couldn’t you be better?” 

 

“I-I’m sorry-oh god-Uncle Ben!” Peter could finally hear his own voice trip over himself, stumbling. He wanted to run over, his mind getting caught in moment, however his feet wouldn’t move. He was stuck watching his worst nightmare replay itself. 

 

“I died...and the man who killed me still walks...Tell me, How is that fair?”

 

“I-” Peter saw a shadow figure move. Instinctively he looked up. There was the hooded man, he seemed to linger over his dying Uncle’s body, his gun flashing in the dark. It was the robber he let go. He watched, his mouth agape. Never before had Peter noticed how time is so much like water; that it can pass slowly, a drop at a time, even freeze, or rush by in a blink. In this slow time-bubble he was trapped in he watched the man who murdered his Uncle walk away like he hadn’t pulled fatal bullet for his own greed. He was right next to this murder, his shoulder nearly touching his own, close enough to hear his heavy breathing. 

 

“Please... _ help me _ …” His Uncle wasn’t looking at Peter but the robber who shot him. 

 

The hooded figure paused, his body stiffening like a statue.

 

“Somebody... _ help me _ ….”

 

A droplet dripped down his cheek, every second stinging like wax paper being ripped off from his skin leaving behind an angry raw piece of flesh, only fueling the fire that burned inside of him.  His Uncle called out helplessly to the man who shot him, begging him, yet the man hesitates. 

 

_ “As long as there’s evil….” _

 

The shooter didn’t turn. He didn’t even look. He put one foot forward, and then another, and another. 

 

_ “...there will be sacrifice.” _

  
  


Every single step was like gasoline pouring over his open flames, building up. This anger, it's been inside of him for a while now, burning, seething, growing, escaping every time he loses somebody he loves. His eyes squeezed shut, clenching his fists tightly in the air.

 

The footsteps echoed behind him, taunting him as the world around him goes dark. He felt himself slip, for once his stupid morals didn’t blind him from the world. He grabbed his anger, reeling it like a wild horse, gaining control over himself in a single moment. 

 

His eyes opened and the universe now laid in them.

 

He spun around, his fist jabbing forward. He heard as gasp escape the strangers lips. He opened his eyes to find in his hand weren’t empty as he thought, in his palms was a silver blade. It’s steel part as halfway in the stranger, stuck inside of him. He pulled out the weapon in a swift motion. 

 

The figure hunched over, grasping his wound before tumbling over. 

 

Peter’s eyes fell on the bloody sword, his thumb rubbing across the hilt in a hypnotised movement. He ran his finger over the centered gem, it’s bright light captivating him. He couldn’t understand this burning sensation in his veins. He looked up at the mess he created. 

 

The figure gasped for air on the ground, his face hidden from his view. 

 

Peter thought he’d feel guilty, angry at himself, hatred for his actions. He waited for those negative emotions to take their effect but it never happened. Instead it felt good. It frightened him. He loved the pure adrenaline rush, the wild effect it had on him. The thrill of it all. 

 

If this was so bad, then why does it feel so good?

 

He felt the sweet release of revenge. Like in some twisted way he avenged his dead in a single moment. His emotions had him wanting to look at his Uncle’s murder’s face.

 

Peter bent down, dropping the weapon causing it to crumble to dust. He raised a hand up to the black hood, quickly ripping it off.

 

Instead of seeing the face of another human he saw himself. A reflection that was apart of himself. A weaker, morally righteous teenage boy. He looked so frail and young. He was practically skin and bones. He looked like a puppy who’d just gotten kicked for the first time. 

 

“ _ You’re...a monster…” _

 

Peter studies his mirror, his face emotionless as his eyes wandered across his face. After a few seconds, he raised a hand up and cupped his reflections cheek, staring straight in the others eyes, burning into skull. 

 

“You will never take anything from anyone ever again.” 

 

And then there was just him. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Y’all Endgame had me deceased. It was so good and that ending had me bawling.  
> Rip Iron Dad. 
> 
> Should I make this into a multi chapter story? Would you guys want that? Let me know.


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